CA Moves Toward GM Labeling and How You Can Avoid GM Foods
Another interesting email regarding GMO in California
Dear Arrow,
They did it! In a sweeping show of support for labeling genetically modified (GM) foods, advocates for the California Right to Know campaign turned in 971,126 signatures, setting the stage for a vote in November on whether GM foods should be clearly marked and labeled. That's nearly a million signatures collected in ten weeks, almost double the number required to place an issue on the ballot. What an exciting development!
Here at FRESH, we are long-time advocates of consumers' right to know what is in their food. After all, GM ingredients show up in 75% of processed foods in US groceries, but they�re not labeled, so consumers cannot discern GM products from natural ones. Only through knowledge and education can we fight back against industrialized agribusiness. Thus, we applaud the California Right to Know initiative, and hope that if you are a CA voter, you will take an interest in resolving this issue.
In the meantime, what can you do to avoid GM foods in your diet? Here are a few tips to guide you:
Choose organic
To earn the �certified organic� label, a product cannot contain any GM ingredients, so buying organic foods is the easiest way to ensure your food is GMO-free. This applies even to products labeled �made with organic ingredients,� which must be 100% GMO-free, even if not all their ingredients meet other organic standards.
Look for �non-GMO� labels
Though you�re unlikely to see a product labeled as containing GM ingredients (at least in the US), many companies want consumers to know that a product is GMO-free. Some limit their claim to only high-risk ingredients, like corn, soy and the others listed below.
Steer clear of products containing high-risk ingredients
If you can�t find an organic or clearly labeled non-GMO alternative, you can protect yourself by simply not buying products that contain ingredients most likely to be genetically modified. These include:
Corn: corn flour, corn meal, corn starch, corn oil, corn gluten, and corn syrup; sweeteners like fructose, dextrose, and sucrose Soy: soy lecithin, soy protein, soy flour, isoflavone; vegetable oil and vegetable protein; tofu, tamari, tempeh, and some alternative meat and dairy products not specifically labeled as free of GM-soy Canola: canola oil (also known as rapeseed oil) Cotton: cottonseed oil Margarine: almost always contains GM oil (either soy, corn, cottonseed, or canola) Sugar: GM sugar beets were recently approved for planting. To avoid GM sugar, purchase organic bulk sugar and products sweetened with 100% cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, agave, or organic/non-GMO sugar. Artificial Sweeteners: aspartame (NutraSweetTM and EqualTM) Meat, eggs, and dairy products: Avoid products from animals who have eaten GM-feed and dairy products containing the GM hormone rBGH/rBST Papayas: About half of the Hawaiian papaya crop is now GM. Vegetables: A small number of zucchini, sweet corn, and yellow crookneck squash are GM.
Carry a non-GMO shopping guide
Several handy tools and tip sheets are available to help you make informed choices at the grocery store. Here are a few to choose from:
True Food Shoppers� Guide from the Center for Food Safety, available in print and as a free mobile app for iPhone and Android
The Non-GMO Project Online Product Directory, also available as a free app for the iPhone and iPod Touch
The Non-GMO Shopping Guide from the Institute for Responsible Technology and the Non-GMO Project, available online, as a PDF download, or in a handy pocket version
Monsanto (and the FDA) realize if GMO products are labelled, over 90% of the people will not buy them. Therefore, they will fight this to the bitter end.
...And by the time GMO grains are no longer grown, all farm land will be contaminated with the GMO seeds. (as well as superweeds)
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Let Food Be Your Medicine And Medicine Be Your Food.(Hippocrates)
CA Moves Toward GM Labeling and How You Can Avoid GM Foods
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