The institution considered the scientific national academy of the United States has issued a report asserting GMO (genetically modified organism) foods are safe for people to eat and might not directly harm the environment

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (also called "The Academies") based in Washington DC also debunked claims GMO foods have led to increases in cancer, obesity, autism and other maladies, or that they adversely affect human health.

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The report concluded there's "no substantiated evidence that foods from GE (genetically engineered) crops were less safe than foods from non-GE crops." It also said regulators need to make their safety focus more on the end-product of the food that's made rather than on how the foods are grown.

A GMO or a genetically engineered organism is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

The Academies released a 400-page report this week that evaluated 20 years of research into the environmental effects of GMO plants whose genes were modified to enable them to repel pests and withstand herbicides. The report that took two years to compile and reviewed more than 900 studies also dealt with what happens when GMO crops are made into food for people or processed into feed for poultry and livestock.

The presence of GMO foods in the American diet is overwhelming. Some 80 percent of foods in America's grocery stores are GMO. Most of the corn, potatoes, apples and soybeans Americans eat are GMO.

On the other hand, non-GMO products account for a very small portion of the overall food supply in the US. One report found only 1.2% of products were labeled non-GMO while 1.1% of products such as snacks, cookies and candy had non-GMO labels.

In the 1990s, American farmers growing feed corn, soybeans, cotton, canola and sugar beets switched almost entirely to GMO varieties because of the cost savings. GMO corn, cotton and soybeans are the most widely cultivated genetically engineered crops in the US.

The report said no genetically engineered food crop so far has proven to increase potential yields. The value of GMOs lies in their ability to protect crops from losing yield to pests and weeds.

The Academies' findings, however, won't stop the debates over the potentially unknown effects from GMO crops, especially among anti-GMO groups.

The Academies consist of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). It produces independent reports by enlisting top scientists, engineers, health professionals and other experts.

TagsGMO, Genetically modified organism, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, The Academies