Food and Feed are generally derived from plants and animals which have been grown and bred by humans for several thousand years. Over time, these plants and animals have undergone substantial genetic changes as those individuals with the most desirable characteristics for food and feed were chosen for breeding the next generation.

The desirable characteristics were caused by naturally occurring variations in the genetic make-up of those individuals. In recent times, it has become possible to modify the genetic material of living cells and organisms using techniques of modern gene technology. Organisms, such as plants and animals, whose genetic material (DNA) has been altered in such way are called genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The food and feed which contain or consist of such GMOs, or are produced from GMOs, are called genetically modified (GM) food or feed.