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Genetically modified foods are those which have had their genome modified through genetic engineering. This is where a beneficial gene is removed from one organism, and inserted into another to provide a more useful phenotype [1]. Such foods have been available since the early 1990's, although the controversy surrounding them has existed for much longer.

Barely a day passes when the subject of genetic engineering does not grace the headlines, nor another "GM Free" supermarket is found to have such forbidden ingredients in their food. As a child of the 90s, the term "GM" was an essential part of my childhood. I was never forced to formulate an opinion on Genetically Modified foods, but know that my parents like the majority of the British Public chose to shun GM foods for fear of the side effects that they may cause.
In May 1998, Iceland was the first UK Supermarket to announce that it was eliminating Genetically Modified ingredients from its foods, after a customer helpline had shown the public's negative feelings on this issue. Other supermarkets and food suppliers nationwide followed suit in June 1999, when a worldwide consortium was set up to rid all British food of GM ingredients [2]. By the end of the year, not a single GM ingredient could be found in the own-brand foods of any UK Supermarket; with each releasing official statements as to their reasoning. These ranged from environmental to moral issues, with most focussing on "customer concern" relating to the dangers of GM foods. [3]
But what were these consumer concerns that brought a halt to the sale of GM Foods in Britain? In theory, Genetically Modified Foods should provide the solution to numerous problems, such as the famines caused by drought or blight. General examples of the benefits of using GM foods include: improved pest and herbicide resistance, decreased susceptibility to bacterial, fungal or viral disease, the ability to remove allergens from the crop to make it suitable for wider consumption, or increased resistance to non-biological growth restraints such as cold or drought [4].
These advantages however are purely cost effective, rather than having any real benefit to society. One such example of the social benefits of using GM Foods is the form of transgenic rice currently under development by a Californian company. This GM food has been proven to produce the milk proteins of lactoferrin and lysozyme, which improve the oral rehydration solutions used to treat diarrhoea. Diarrhoea

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