With terms like “genetically modified organism (GMO),” “bioengineering” and “genetic engineering” being used interchangeably, it’s no wonder that many are confused about what bioengineered foods are and if they’re safe to eat.

Bioengineered foods contain genetic material that has been modified through laboratory techniques. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and virus genes that do not occur naturally or through traditional crossbreeding methods. Most bioengineered foods have been modified to withstand the direct application of herbicide and/or produce an insecticide.

Eleven bioengineered crops (corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, alfalfa, sugar beets, papaya, squash, potatoes, pineapples (USDA 2021) and apples) are available in the United States (USDA 2021). Bioengineered eggplant is also available outside the US. The Non-GMO Project also considers foods such as eggs, milk, meat, honey and seafood high risk because bioengineered ingredients are common in animal feed (Non GMO Project 2021). In addition to these food products, bioengineered ingredients may be present in vitamins, flavorings and sweeteners.

Although there are only a few bioengineered crops, they account for a large amount of the total food supply in the United States. Nearly three fourths of all processed foods contain bioengineered ingredients (T. Campbell et al. 2021).

You may have already seen the “Bioengineered” disclosure on food products. Food manufacturers and retailers are required to provide it on all food products that require disclosure by January 1, 2022. Foods that carry the “Derived from Bioengineering” label are not considered bioengineered, by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), since these foods are highly refined and contain no detectable modified genetic material in the finished product (USDA 2021).

Others believe that labeling in its current form, with categorical exemptions, doesn’t deliver meaningful consumer protections.

Only foods that meet the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) definition of bioengineered foods carry the disclosure. Remember these disclosures are marketing labels and do not note any information about the health, safety or environmental factors of the bioengineered foods.

So, are bioengineered foods safe? According to the Non-GMO Project, an organization dedicated to protected the non-GMO food supply, in the absence of credible, long-term studies, the safety of bioengineered foods is unknown.

With the widespread use of bioengineered foods and lack of uniform labeling, how can you avoid them?

Look for the USDA Organic Seal. Organic foods are certified and do not contain bioengineered ingredients.
Look for foods certified as GMO-free.
Avoid buying processed foods. Most processed foods contain bioengineered ingredients.
Eat fresh and frozen produce. With a few exceptions (corn, beets, zucchini, summer squash, radicchio and Hawaiian papaya), most produce is GMO-free.
Grow your own food using non-GMO seeds.
Buy from a local farmers market or farm. Ask whether they use GMO seeds or products on their farms.

United States Department of Agriculture. BE Pineapple (Pink Flesh) Crop Summary. Accessed September 6, 2021.
United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Marketing Service. List of Bioengineered Foods. Accessed September 6, 2021.
Non GMO Project. GMO Facts. Accessed September 6, 2021.
Campbell, T. Colin and Thomas Campbell. Plant-Based Nutrition Course. Nutrition and Society Online Course. eCornell. Accessed September 6, 2021.
United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Marketing Service. Information for Consumers. Accessed September 6, 2021.

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