Terms to Know: What is a GMO?

I still come across quite a few people that have never heard of a GMO. So if that is you then this post is a must read. If you have already heard of a GMO, then read on to perhaps learn something new.

What is a GMO anyway?

To start let’s define what a GMO is.

GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms”, are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. These experimental combinations of genes from different species cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

The most common GMO crops are soy, cotton, canola, corn, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, alfalfa, and squash (both zucchini and yellow).

To give you a perspective of the amount of genetically engineered crops exist here are a bit of facts…

…in 2013, in the United States:

*bioengineered soybeans made up 93 percent of the acreage of planted soybeans

*bioengineered cotton made up 90 percent of the acreage of planted cotton

*bioengineered corn varieties made up 90 percent of the acreage planted corn

*and bioengineered sugar beets accounted for 95 percent of the acreage of planted sugar beets in the 2009-2010 crop year.

And most recently, genetically engineered salmon and apples have hit the market, too.

GMOs may also be hidden in common processed food ingredients from aspartame to vitamins and yeast products. Even a flu vaccine containing genetically-modified (GM) proteins derived from insect cells was approved by the FDA in 2013.

Yep.

Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

Are GMOs safe?

Right now more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and the entire European Union, have significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs because they do not consider GMOs to be safe. In the U.S., however, the government has approved GMOs stating they are safe despite them being recently linked to such diseases as cancer, leukemia, autism, obesity, sterility & birth defects.

How can I tell if my food is a GMO or not?

Because our government deems foods containing genetically modified ingredients safe and identical to their conventional counterparts there is no requirement for special labeling in the U.S.

However, in July 2016, President Obama signed into law the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard which directs the US Department of Agriculture (or USDA) to establish a standard way to disclose of certain food products or ingredients that are genetically engineered. They have been given two years to come up with something.

In the meantime, as we play the waiting game, some companies have taken the extra step and either promised to go GMO free or at least have put a statement of whether or not that food product was made using genetically modified ingredients right on the nutrition label based on guidance provided by the FDA. This allows for companies to voluntarily disclose this information to the public. I can actually say I have seen both types of statements on food product packaging.

The rule of thumb for now is if a food or beverage product lists corn, soy, canola, cottonseed or beet sugar as an ingredient and it’s not organic, it more than likely contains GMOs. So if you want to avoid as many GMOs as possible, shopping organic is the best solution, even though organic certification does not necessarily mean 100% GMO free. However, it does show higher standards were applied to certify the food.

To go one step further, choosing products that are both Certified Organic AND Non-GMO Project Verified may be the best way to make sure you are getting the safest, healthiest, highest-quality food for your family. You can read more about the Non-GMO Project on their website at www.nongmoproject.org.