Biotehnologija, genetički inženjering, transgeni ili genetički modificirani organizmi (GMO) izazivaju brojne kontroverze širom zemljine kugle u posljednjih dvadesetak godina. Znanstvene studije o produkciji i upotrebi GMO-a, premda nemaju jednoznačan aksiološki predznak niti nude simplificirane odgovore na iskazane dileme, pokazuju da GM hrana donosi mogući rizik po ljudsko zdravlje, štetan utjecaj na okruženje i generalno pogoršanje kvalitete poljoprivrednih kultura. Ovome treba dodati i klasična bioetička pitanja u vezi s potencijalno nenadoknadivom štetom koju sadašnjoj, ali i budućim generacijama, može donijeti na ovakav način izmijenjeno biološko nasljeđe. Implementacija ove, kako je njeni pobornici nazivaju, najbrže usvojene biljne tehnologije u modernoj historiji čovječanstva, ugrožava, sa socijalne strane gledano, tradicionalnu poljoprivrednu proizvodnju i produbljuje i onako veliku društvenu nejednakosti između bogatih i siromašnih farmera. Evidentne su, također, intervencije velikih država i biotehnoloških kompanija prilikom donošenja ili korigiranja odgovarajućih zakona i uredbi o GMO-u, koje, iako deklarativno naglašavaju opće potrebe i zajedničku dobrobit, ustvari (ne)vješto prikrivaju vlastite partikularne interese. Analize mnogih znanstvenika i bioetičara, konačno, pokazuju da teza da će „genska revolucija” riješiti problem gladi u svijetu jednostavno nije dokazana u protekla dva desetljeća. Biotechnology, genetic engineering, transgenic or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have caused numerous controversies around the globe over the last twenty years. Scientific studies on the production and use of GMOs, although they do not have a uniform axiological sign nor offer simplified answers to expressed dilemmas, show that GM food poses a potential risk to human health, detrimental environmental impact, and general deterioration in the quality of agricultural crops. Classical bioethical questions regarding the potentially irreversible damage the biological heritage altered in this way can bring to the present, but also future generations should be added to this. The implementation of this, as its supporters call it, fastest-adopted plant technology in the modern history of humankind threatens, from the social aspect, traditional agricultural production and deepens the already great social inequalities between rich and poor farmers. There are also apparent interventions by large states and biotechnological companies when adopting or correcting appropriate laws and regulations on GMOs, which, although declaratively emphasizing general needs and the common good, in fact (un)skilfully conceal their own particular interests. Analyses made by many scientists and bioethicists, finally, show that the thesis that a “gene revolution” will resolve the problem of hunger in the world was not justified in the previous two decades.