GM food is healthy, expert tells Milan Expo

(ANSA) - Milan, September 10 - Genetically modified food is just as healthy as natural food and will be necessary to help beat challenges such as global hunger and malnutrition, GMO expert Luis Herrera Estrella said at Milan's food and agriculture-focused Expo world fair.
    Herrera Estrella, a Mexican biochemical engineer who co-authored a 1983 study that outlined the possibility of genetically modifying plants, said he was surprised by how few pavilions at the Expo were dealing with the issue of GM food.
    He said GM food was not only "harmless" but also "necessary to beat challenges that can't be faced any other way".
    He highlighted the benefits of GM crops, including their resistance to disease, insects and fungus, their high vitamin content, and their more efficient use of water.
    Italy is one of several European countries who view GMOs with caution, citing environmental and health concerns.