GMO is one of the latest concerns with food. As a self-proclaimed foodie, I have to admit ignorance on this one. I’d like to think its because I use fresh ingredients and I try to make homemade foods for my friends and family! Because of my love of food and an even greater love for said friends and family, I set out to get educated on the topic. Oh, and if you’re interested in making your next grocery-shopping trip a no (or low) GMO production, here is a great website with a ready shopping list:
http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/about-gmos.html
It is broken down by categories like breads and baked goods, condiments, dairy, etc.
GMO, as defined by Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia:
An organism whose genome has been altered in order to favour the expression of desired physiological traits or the output of desired biological products. Genetically modified foods were first approved for human consumption in the United States in 1995. The techniques used to produce genetically modified organisms include cloning and recombinant DNA technology. The primary applications of GMOs are in the areas of agriculture and biomedical research. GMOs offer numerous benefits to society, including increased crop yields and the development of novel therapeutic agents to prevent and treat a wide range of human diseases. Concerns surrounding the use of GMOs include risks posed to human health and the generation of insecticide-resistant “superbugs.”
I have also learned that there are two main categories of GMOs:
- high-risk, because they are currently in commercial production. These include some of the following items:
- Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
- Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
- Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
- Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
- Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
- Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
- Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
- Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)
ALSO high-risk: animal products (milk, meat, eggs, honey, etc.) because of contamination in feed.
- monitored risk because suspected or known incidents of contamination have occurred and/or the crops have genetically modified relatives in commercial production with which cross-pollination (and consequently contamination) is possible. Some of the food items included in the monitored column:
- Beta vulgaris (e.g., chard, table beets)
- Brassica napa (e.g., rutabaga, Siberian kale)
- Brassica rapa (e.g., bok choy, mizuna, Chinese cabbage, turnip, rapini, tatsoi)
- Curcubita (acorn squash, delicata squash, patty pan)
- Flax
- Rice
If you are a “food label reader”, you may want to look for the following for potential GMO ingredients:
delectablediction 