DEMYSTIFYING "GMO"
The term “GMO” (genetically modified organism) has become wide-ranging in use, extends beyond food and has a fuzzy definition at best. This post is focused on the most common trait of GMO food crops – plant that have been developed for herbicide resistance – and what “non-GMO” means (and doesn’t mean) on packaged food labels.
In the context of food, GMO crops are plants that have undergone specific modification to their DNA, usually making them make them resistant to herbicides, insects and/or diseases with the goal to maximize crop yield.
What to Know
- GMO foods are a recent innovation – the first GMO foods and GMO ingredients were sold to consumers in the 1990s
- The primary goal of GMO crops is to improve yields, but the actual long-term productivity is debatable and some research shows the opposite
- By using the GMO version of seeds resistant to herbicides, farmers can drench crops with toxic chemicals, namely Glyphosate (RoundUp), and only the weeds will die
- There are about 10 main GMO crops in the US, four of which are modified to tolerate herbicides and are pervasive in packaged foods: canola, corn, soybean and sugarbeet
- Corn and soybeans are the top produced crops in the United States, and over 90% of these crops are genetically modified
- A topic for another time, but corn and soy also happen to be two of the most highly subsidized crops and extremely common in ultra-processed foods
What Does this Mean for Us?
- Packaged food products with ingredients derived from canola, corn, soybean or sugarbeets without “non-GMO” labeling have almost certainly treated with toxic chemicals (i.e. Glyphosate)
- So it’s best to look for a non-GMO certification when purchasing packaged foods with canola, corn, soybean, sugarbeets as ingredients or ingredients made from these crops (e.g. not just corn, but cornstarch, corn syrup, corn oil… you get it)
- Non-GMO does not mean the ingredients are free of toxic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers
- Non-GMO claim ONLY means that ingredients have not undergone any genetic modification (so buy organic if you can!)
New Labeling Requirements
- A recent labeling requirement established a mandatory bioengineered (BE) food disclosure standard, which requires food manufacturers to disclose information about BE food and BE food ingredients
- Unfortunately, they want the consumer to work for this information… so the “disclosure” can take several forms including a symbol (below), written statement (“contains bioengineered ingredients…”) OR a phone number to text or QR code to scan for information
Non-GMO vs ORGANIC
- Non-GMO ONLY means is that the product’s ingredients have not undergone any genetic modification and products are permitted to contain ingredients that have been sprayed with synthetic pesticides/herbicides are still permitted (there are many non-GMO crops that use Glyphosate as a desiccant!)
- Organic includes non-GMO (no genetically modified ingredients) as well as additional standards that are better for the consumer and the environment, such as no synthetic pesticides/herbicides, no synthetic fertilizers, crop rotation and soil management, and more
SOURCES
https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/agricultural-biotechnology
https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/how-gmo-crops-impact-our-world
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=76946
https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/be/bioengineered-foods-list