Assessing the Relevance of Off-Target Changes in Gene Edited Crops

Humans have a long history of developing crops with improved characteristics, benefitting consumers, and farmers alike. Selective breeding, inducing genetic mutations, and, more recently, gene editing, are all tools that are used to produce plants with beneficial traits. As with any breeding technique, gene editing can lead to unintended genetic changes, but how does the prevalence of these off-target changes compare with those arising from other breeding practices? Plant scientists from the University of Minnesota and collaborating organizations reviewed the rate of unintended changes arising from gene editing with those from other plant development techniques. The researchers conclude that off-target edits in crops present no new safety concerns compared to unintended genetic changes that occur using other breeding techniques.