# Myths and Realities about Genetically Modified Food: A Risk-Benefit Analysis
[EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.V.R.) cristthis increase poses colossal food production challenges because crop yield rates do not feed the world's population [7,8]. On the other hand, economic expansion, globalization, and population growth have brought about structural shifts in consumption patterns worldwide. Surprisingly, meat demand has grown the most in the world, and the cattle industry has been identified to emit the most greenhouse gases. This rising demand has significantly impacted carbon emissions and land use [9]. Moreover, climate change and less cultivable land have resulted in an additional challenge to cover growing food demand [10]. Climate change is associated with rising temperatures and more extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and rainstorms. Apart from altered environmental conditions under which food production operates, there are fewer pollinating insects, increasing water scarcity, and alterations to relations linking pests, crops, weeds, and pathogens [1]. The analysis revealed that these situations could be daunting if no action is taken [10]. Here, we contemplate the potential of genetically modified (GM) crops to enhance sustainable food production [11]. The concept of \"genetically modified organisms\" (GMOs) refers to those organisms whose genome has been altered by inserting a gene from another organism, removing a gene, or changing a gene's function to generate a desirable trait. These genes can come from the same species or a different one. Thus, species boundaries may be crossed to produce novel crops [12]. Depending on the final destination, GMOs can be classified as GM food when the direct consumers are humans and as GM feed when products are intended only for animals. It has been estimated that 70-90% of all GM crops are employed as animal feed [13]. The market share of GM products has grown since the first generations of GM crops were commercialized in the 1990s. The four leading biotech crops are maize, cotton, soybeans, and canola. Based on the global cultivated area for individual crops, 32% of maize, 80% of cotton, 77% of soybeans, and 30% of canola were biotech crops in 2017 (Figure 1). Herbicide tolerance has been a consistent dominant trait which, in 2018, covered 46% of the global area (a 1% drop compared to 2017) [14]. Today, the commercial use of GM crops also extends to other foods, such as sugar beet, papaya, eggplant _Solanum melongena_, potatoes, and apples [8]. In recent decades, technological molecular biology and genetic engineering (GE) advancements have enabled crops to be developed with improved traits, such as herbicide tolerance, good insect resistance, or better yields [15]. Moreover, interest in developing GM crops with improved nutritional properties is growing, such as higher levels of essential microelements, healthier crops by altering their fatty acids profile, or plants with delayed ripening [16]. Ever since the first GM food was introduced, the debate about the risks of releasing GM crops has been substantial. Lawmakers, scientists, and consumers have been divided on the subject of using GMOs to produce food and feed. Supporters believe that new crop enhancement advances could be a promising solution to ensure food security and cover increasing food demands [17]. This review presents a risk-benefit analysis of  
Figure 1: Percentages of the main biotech crops in 2017. Adapted from [14]. GM food consumption to highlight how biotechnology can help to improve human health and cushion environmental impacts.