By Theodora Filis
Consumers will see food labels that now say "bioengineered" or "derived from bioengineering," replacing the acronym "GMO" (genetically modified organism).
The federal standard replaces the former requirements as of January 2022.
The new standard applies to genetically modified foods as well as foods with genetically modified ingredients that are "detectable" by certain standards.
Critics say the rules devised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will actually confuse consumers further and make it harder to know what's in any given product.
The new rules give food producers a few options. Commonly bioengineered foods include corn, canola, soybeans, and sugar beets. Most GMO crops are used for animal feed, according to the Food and Drug Administration. But they are also used to make ingredients that routinely find their way into human diets, such as cornstarch, corn syrup, canola oil, and granulated sugar.
The Center for Food Safety, one advocacy group opposed to the new standard, says it makes it easier for companies to conceal what's in their products and leaves consumers in the dark. Logos are confusing and the rules don't go far enough.
"These regulations are not about informing the public but rather designed to allow corporations to hide their use of genetically engineered ingredients from their customers," Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety, said in a statement.
Additionally, the new standard discriminates against the poor, the elderly, people who live in rural areas, and minorities who may lack a smartphone or access to the internet, the group said. It also puts an "undue burden" on shoppers to scan food items in stores during a deadly pandemic, advocates have argued.
Who makes sure GMOs are safe? Federal agencies play a role in ensuring the safety of GMOs - as described in the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology.
FDA’s voluntary Plant Biotechnology Consultation Program evaluates the safety of food from new GMOs before they enter the market. This program allows developers to work with FDA on a product-by-product basis.
How can I tell if I’m eating GMOs? Certain types of GMOs have a disclosure that lets you know if the food, or ingredients you are eating, is a bioengineered food. The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard defines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.
The Standard establishes requirements for labeling foods that humans eat that are or may be bioengineered and defines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.
By 2022, food makers, importers, and certain retailers label foods that are bioengineered or have bioengineered ingredients. Foods sold in the United States that meet the definition of bioengineered food must have information on their packaging using one of the approved methods, including text on the package that says “bioengineered food,” the bioengineered food symbol, or directions for using your phone to find the disclosure.
Searching for bioengineered ingredients is like finding Wally in Where's Wally?.
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