Genetically Modified foods are foods that have been altered using techniques that actually modify the plant's DNA, the genetic material of living things.
Scientists insert a single gene or a series of genes into crops to create desired attributes.
Once a food has undergone genetic engineering it becomes a new plant variety. In other instances of genetic modification, foods have been programmed to be resistant to the herbicides used to control weeds. Or they've been modified to contain a protein that is toxic to certain insects, thus eliminating the need for pesticides. Genetic engineering was established to implement improvements that cannot be achieved through conventional agricultural farming practices or traditional cross-breeding and hybridization techniques. The basic concept behind GM foods is to increase the efficiency of food production, processing, and distribution.