More and more people are trying to make smart choices about the foods they eat. They care about where their food comes from. The food industry has responded to this trend by marketing numerous products with labels like “organic”, “natural”, “artisanal” and so forth.
And then there is the issue of the use of genetically modified organisms in our foods. This prevalent practice has become a great concern to us and, in fact, a recent survey by Consumer Reports showed that nearly three-quarters of Americans are seeking food produced without GMOs.
Unfortunately, we don’t yet have labeling laws that force food makers to tell us when products contain GMOs. But given all the other trendy labels on foods, Consumer Reports decided to find out how many foods actually contain GMOs and how those findings compare with the way the foods are labeled. They tested 80 processed foods containing corn or soy, the two most common GMO crops.
Foods labeled “organic and non-GMO project verified” met the standard of containing less than 0.9% GMO. Foods that simply stated “no GMO” or “non-GMO” on their labels mostly also met the standard. However, foods that made no claim about their GMO status on their labels almost all contained substantial amounts of GMO corn or soy.
And then there were the foods labeled “natural”. Nearly all of them were full of GMOs. Because the “natural” label currently has no formal definition under law, food makers can put it on anything they want. To avoid GMOs, read labels carefully.
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Tests of “natural” labelled food reveal substantial levels of GMOs
Photo, posted March 26, 2011, courtesy of Alexis Baden-Mayer via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.