Final answer:
ELSI issues in GMO consumption include safety concerns for human health and environmental impacts, potential for GMO contamination in organic farming, and the ongoing need for scrutinizing the potential adverse effects such as allergenicity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) involved in the consumption of GMO food are multi-faceted and encompass a range of concerns. These include questions about the safety of GM foods for human consumption, which might have unknown harmful effects, and the safety of genetically engineered crops for the environment, questioning potential harm to other organisms or ecosystems. Additionally, since some genes used in GE crops may be new to the food supply, there is a potential risk for human health, such as the production of new allergens. However, this potential risk also exists with crops produced by traditional breeding practices. Moreover, GMO consumption extends beyond directly eaten produce to meats and dairy products from animals fed GM feed. Organic farmers have faced challenges with unwanted GMO contamination, despite adhering to stringent organic standards prohibiting GE crops. Scientific consensus, including organizations like the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), supports that genetically engineered crops are safe for human consumption and have negligible environmental risks. Nonetheless, ongoing scrutiny and research into the potential adverse effects of GE crops, such as allergenicity, are essential for ensuring continued safety.