A central issue in the case involves the consumer's right to know about the new genetic material being engineered into their food. Labeling and testing are also vital given the health risks that scientists have associated with gene-altered foods. The most pressing health concern involves the impact of inserting foreign genes into fruits, vegetables and other whole foods. With each gene insertion there is the possibility that a nontoxic element in the food could become toxic and create a human health hazard. This remains the most probable explanation for the dozens of deaths and thousands of serious illnesses caused by a genetically engineered food supplement, L-tryptophan, several years ago.
Food allergies are another major health concern with genetically engineered foods.
Those with food allergies will often have no way of knowing what is in genetically engineered foods and therefore which foods to avoid. Health professionals are also concerned that the mass consumption of genetically engineered foods could make treating infections more difficult in that some genetically modified foods contain antibiotic resistant genes. In addition to health concerns, millions of Americans feel obligated to refrain from some or all genetically engineered foods based on their ethical and religious principles. Many Jews and Muslims need to avoid foods with substances from specific animals, while devout vegetarians want to avoid substances from any animal. Additionally, a considerable portion of the population is religiously motivated to avoid all genetically engineered foods because they view the production of these foods to be incompatible with proper stewardship of the integrity of God's creation.