Comprehensive risk assessment revealed some physiological indicators responding to various GM-crop consumption

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Toxicology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Genetically modified (GM) crops are widely consumed globally.
• Concerns persist regarding the comprehensive health effects of GM crops as feedstock.
• Assessing GM crop safety requires analyzing physiological indicators in consumers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the health status of mammals after consuming GM maize, rice, and soybean.
• To analyze physiological indicators to determine potential health risks associated with GM crop intake.
• To synthesize existing research data on GM crop consumption and health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis was performed on a dataset of mammalian physiological indicators from 2000 to 2024.
• Data were extracted from open-access research articles on GM maize, rice, and soybean consumption.
• The DerSimonian and Laird random-effect model was used to address data heterogeneity and statistical errors.

Main Results:

• Increased glucose concentration observed after consuming nutritionally altered GM maize, remaining within safe limits.
• Increased relative liver weight noted following consumption of non-nutritional GM maize.
• Increased relative kidney weight identified after consuming nutritionally altered GM rice.
• No pathological changes were reported in the organs of test animals.

Conclusions:

• GM crop consumption, including maize, rice, and soybean, does not appear to pose pathological risks.
• Observed physiological changes (e.g., glucose levels, organ weights) were within safe ranges.
• Further research into the metabolic and biochemical effects of GM crops is recommended for comprehensive food safety assurance.