Book excerpt: Biotechnologies developed over the past few decades have opened up a wide range of avenues and opportunities in diverse sectors, yet the scale of the today's global debate on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their application in agriculture is unprecedented. Furthermore, the scientific and policy bases for assessing and passing judgement on genetically engineered products are necessarily evolving as rapidly as the pace of evolution in biotechnology itself. The purpose of this publication -- the second in FAO's new series dedicated to ethics in food and agriculture - is to share the current knowledge of genetically engineered products in relation to consumers, including the safety of their food and protection of their health, and environmental conservation. It seeks to unravel and explore the claims and counterclaims being made in the GMO debate from an ethical perspective, considering the proprietary nature of the tools used to produce GMOs, the potential consequences of their use in intensifying food production and the unintended and undesirable effects that their application could have, both now and in the future.