investigated the impact of a GM pea on mice. The gene used (alpha amylase inhibitor gene) had been taken from a close relative -- the common bean -- and nobody expected much of a problem. Yet the mice reacted to the GM pea but not to the bean. Unexpectedly the protein product from the bean gene changed its characteristics in the pea and became immunogenic, leading (for example) to inflammations. Despite having the same sequence, the protein had a different structure in the pea. And even more surprising, the mice did not only react to the GM protein, but also showed an increased immune response to seed storage proteins in the pea, which had not been observed before. This is called 'immunological cross priming' or 'adjuvant effect', where the presence of one immunogenic compound will cause the immune system to react to other compounds it has previously ignored or tolerated. Unexpected side effects could also be found for plants genetically modified with genes from within the same species, sometimes referred to as cis-genics, thus indicating that any GM plant/food can result in unknown side effects. GM changes the genetic information in a crop using quite precise technology. Conventional crop breeding using less precise technology, such as radiation or chemicals, to create mutations. Both GM and conventional plant breeding can go wrong. The difference is that GM is very tightly regulated, and so any side effects should be seen more easily than with non-GM. In general, I think it's wonderful just