Words matter… Using “bioengineered food” instead of “GMO” prevents transparency in the food industry. Because it’s important to have an awareness of the food aka “nourishment” you use daily, I want you to know…
The USDA created a national bioengineered food disclosure standard in 2018 which changed the terminology of genetically modified organisms (“GMO”) to bioengineered (“BE”). Technically speaking bioengineered foods must contain modified genetic material which can leave out many products made with GMO. There are new label requirements to show if a product is “BE” or “derived from BE”. The law technically went into effect in January, 2020, but the USDA delayed enforcement until this year.
Commonly bioengineered foods include:
- Alfalfa
- Arctic Apple
- Canola
- Corn
- Cotton
- Bt Eggplant
- Ringspot virus-resistant Papaya
- Pink Pineapple
- Potato
- AquAdvantage Salmon
- Soybean
- Summer Squash
- Sugar beets
Disclosures not required for animal feed, pet food, toiletries, meat-, poultry-, & egg- dominant foods. The symbol pictured here is what you will see on your packaged goods to indicate bioengineered foods or derivatives.
If you want to choose more nature foods, look for the butterfly NON GMO Project logo.
