GM foods are safe for humans and the environment, top scientists say

(cnbc.com) - Genetically Modified (GM) crops are safe for both human consumption and the environment, according to a report by top U.S. scientists on Tuesday.

Neither pest-resistant nor herbicide-resistant crops — the two widespread GM varieties — appeared to pose a threat, the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) said in the report. This was based on a review of more than 900 reports and other research over two decades.

"While recognizing the inherent difficulty of detecting subtle or long-term effects in health or the environment, the study committee found no substantiated evidence of a difference in risks to human health between currently commercialized genetically engineered (GE) crops and conventionally bred crops, nor did it find conclusive cause-and-effect evidence of environmental problems from the GE crops," the scientists said in a summary of the report.