About This Video

The first ever commercially grown, genetically modified food was the Flavr Savr Tomato, produced over 15 years ago. Production of the tomato stopped after only about 3 years because of competition with the Long Shelf-Life Tomato. Since then, the only GM foods grown in the US other than staples (soybeans, corn, and cotton for cottonseed oil) are papaya and squash. This is partly due the general public’s reticence to embrace GM technology—a sentiment that, when examined, is based on little evidence of actual risk. But beyond the knee-jerk fear mongering, is there any reason to worry about the effects of more widespread consumption of GM food? Food experts Louise Fresco and Pamela Ronald help to tease apart truth from myth in the oft-misunderstood biotechnological food revolution.

Image courtesy of James King; Recorded June 2010; Posted September 2010