Genetically Modified Foods Should be Labeled

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Recommended: Genetically modified foods labeling or not

Picture yourself at your dinner table expecting to indulge in a fresh tomato and corn salad. Unknowingly, your genetically modified tomato could potentially be laced with fish genes to protect it from freezing in the cold and the corn infused with pesticides that kill rats, insects and other mammals akin to you. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally (“Genetically Modified” 2). To date, there is still no government mandate requiring labeling of GE products. The widespread use of GMOs cannot be defunct and arguments to depart from the use of GMOs are impracticable; but they pose risks for the people who consume them and should be labeled. Genetically modified foods (GMO) are detrimental to society because they cause birth defects, health hazards and hinder consumer choice, resulting in a crisis that demands federal government intervention to mandate that these products are labeled appropriately. Since the introduction of GMOs in the 1990s, their use has become increasingly prevalent. In fact, many common household items are actually made from genetically modified products. Popular goods such as Sun Chips, Dole juices, Quaker Oats, milk, Rice-A-Roni, Gatorade, and Aquafina to list a few. Seventy percent of the foods in America sold in supermarkets are genetically modified according to the Commission of the European Communities (“Commissions 4). Fifty-eight percent of Americans are unfamiliar with the problems concerning GMOs in food, according to a 2006 Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology study (“Studies Show” 6). The United States has no mandatory labeling of GE foods to inform consumers whether or not the foods they are... ... middle of paper ... ...initiatives, Monsanto sues them back into silence. If consumers show preference for labeled foods over non-labeled foods, then industry will have the incentive to regulate itself or risk alienating the customer. Consumer interest groups, on the other hand, are demanding mandatory labeling. Many organizations such as Organic Consumers Fund, Cliff Bar, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap ,Just Label It! and the Non GMO Project are currently fighting big companies such as Monsanto, Nestle, and Kellogg who are potentially risking the health of Americans as well as hindering the ability to make true decisions on what we eat (“Living On Earth” 2). Individuals’ can join in on the fight by signing petitions and contacting local key players such as mayors and governors. The request to label GMO is not about science it is about transparency—people deserve to know what they are eating.

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