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New Report: Americans Eating Their Weight in Genetically Engineered Food
Over the last few decades, the food supply has undergone a major transformation. In the past, there were problems securing enough food for everyone to eat. Because of this, scientists tried to find ways to increase the yield of crops available each harvest. One of the strategies that they used was to genetically engineer the seeds for many of the plants that we eat. One of the most prominent examples in the market is genetically modified corn.
While some people are aware of genetically modified foods, many do not know just how prevalent they are. Some people might think that a few things here or there are genetically modified, but they don’t worry about them being in many foods. In reality, the picture is much different than what you might believe.
A recent study by the Environmental Working Group found that Americans are actually eating more than their body weight in genetically modified foods every year. The study found that they’re eating an average of 193 pounds of the food each year.
The reason that many people do not realize they are eating genetically modified foods is because of nonexistent labeling requirements. Food manufacturers are not required to tell consumers if they are selling GMO foods. Because of this, most people don’t even pay attention to it. Considering 93 percent of soybeans and 88 percent of corn in the US is from genetically modified seeds, that’s a big chunk of the food supply. Corn is in almost everything you eat in one way or another. Whether it’s high fructose corn syrup, modified corn starch, or something else, it’s in there.
While there have been few studies about the effects of genetically modified foods on the human body, that does not necessarily mean that there aren’t concerns. Many consumers are concerned about the long-term effects of GMO foods on their bodies and their reproductive abilities. Many who have engaged in paternity testing have also shown concerns about the affects of GMO foods on their future children.
Many people from all around the world are demanding that companies start labeling their GMO products. After all, you can get a paternity test in UK, but you can’t figure out if you’re eating food that is genetically modified.
A number of measures have come up recently which would require companies to label their GMO products. Congress recently voted on a labeling measure, and the residents of the state of California are going to be voting on a labeling requirement soon. If they pass the law requiring companies to label GMO products in their state, many states may soon follow suit. Since California is such a large market, many companies that sell there would probably just label everything they sell, since it wouldn’t make sense to separate out its product that it plans on selling to California.
It remains to be seen whether companies will be forced to start labeling their products in the near future. If so, it will give customers the information that they need to be able to make informed choices. If not, it will make things easier on the companies that sell products in the marketplace.
Regardless of what happens in the future, there is bound to be more controversy surrounding the subject of genetically modified foods in the future.
Image credit:Some rights reserved by tavopp
2012-10-22 10:42:18
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