Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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Figure 40: Relative Likelihood of Unintended Genetic Effects 794
(For definition of terms used in the below methods of genetic engineering please see
Figure 41)
Food Allergies
Food allergies occur in approximately two to eight percent of the population with most
food allergies associated with only eight foods or food groups, including milk, eggs,
peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. 795, 796, 797 From 1997 to 2007, food
allergies increased 18 percent among children 18 years of age and younger, which
represented a significant increase from previous rates. 798 Allergenic foods can contain
up to 20,000 proteins, but typically only 10 to 20 of these proteins may cause allergic
reactions. The chances of being exposed to an allergenic food protein or developing a
799, 800, 801
specific food allergy remains relatively low, despite increasing rates.
One of the major health concerns with genetically engineered food is its potential to
increase allergies in the human population through the food chain. 802 The potential
allergy risks from GE food crops to consumers can be placed into one of three
categories. The first is when a gene is transferred from a source of known allergenic
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