It’s not just about strawberries either. The “flounderberry” is still lab research, but there are quite a few genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are already out on the market, on shelves, and in our homes. According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, more than three quarters of all processed foods on American grocery store shelves contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients. That means that these ingredients were created through processes that combine the genetic building blocks of different species to produce new foods. In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) added GM sugar beets, a new form of GM corn and GM alfalfa to the list of GM crops that can be grown and used in food nationwide.

For shoppers, it can be hard to identify foods with GM ingredients since manufacturers aren’t required to label GM foods. This isn’t the case in Japan, Australia and Europe, where GM labeling is mandatory.

But why all the fuss over a label? Recent research indicates that GM ingredients can correspond to a host of potentially worrisome health concerns, like food allergies and gastrointestinal, reproductive and immune problems. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has even gone so far as to encourage all physicians to prescribe non-GM diets to their patients.

While GM food labeling in the U.S. isn’t required, there are some ways consumers can currently identify non-GM foods. For example, you can look for the USDA Organic Seal. By definition, USDA-certified organic foods can’t contain GM ingredients. You can also find an abundance of non-GM options in the produce aisle since GM ingredients appear most frequently in processed foods. Only corn and some varieties of squash, papaya, sugar beets and potatoes may come in GM varieties.

In the rest of the grocery store, identifying GM foods can prove more difficult, however. That’s where the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit organization that supports non-GM products and helps educate consumers about them, comes in. The Non-GMO Project has a Product Verification Program through which products can become verified as non-GMO, and earn a seal on packaging that lets shoppers know the food doesn’t contain GM ingredients.

One company that has a variety of its products verified as non-GM by is Silk, the country’s largest plant-based beverage company.

“We think it’s important to ensure shoppers can distinguish non-GM products, and the Non-GMO Project is giving them a way to do that,” says Craig Shiesley, general manager of Silk. “We’ve always made our products with non-GMO soybeans, but by completing the verification process, we’re giving consumers an added level of confidence, and a way to identify that our products are produced without GM ingredients.”

The non-profit Center for Food Safety is also helping shoppers navigate the aisles with the “True Food Shopper’s Guide” app, which offers information on common GM ingredients and brands to choose or avoid.

Organizations like The Non-GMO Project and Center for Food Safety have gone a long way toward helping shoppers make informed decisions about the food they purchase, but for consumers who would like to see mandatory labeling of GM Foods, the Just Label It! We Have the Right to Know campaign offers an opportunity to make their voices heard. The initiative, supported by a broad coalition of consumers and businesses interested in food safety, including Silk and its sister company Horizon Organic, involves a petition with the USDA seeking a mandatory labeling standard for GM foods. Consumers can make a public comment in support of the petition on the campaign’s website at www.justlabelit.org.

The post Knowing What's in your Food first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Just what does this mean? Genetically modified organisms or GMOs are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology. This relatively new science allows DNA from one species to be snipped and inserted into another species in a laboratory to create specific characteristics and new species that do not occur in nature. You may have heard them referred to as “frankenfoods” for this reason.  For instance, a plant can be engineered to become resistant to a pesticide, or even contain its own pesticides within the plant cells, so that the fields can be sprayed with the chemical and the crops will not die along with weeds.  

So, what does this mean to you and your family? The truth is, we really don’t know yet.  The science has not been around long enough for studies to show the long-term health effects that consuming GMO foods might have.  

“From a nutrition perspective it’s not hard to connect the dots from GMO crops to health issues. We have exponential increases in digestive issues, allergies and autoimmune diseases today and GMO crops are found in so many of the foods and food products (soy, corn) implicated in these health issues,” says registered dietician Ashley Koff.  “This is enough for at least 30 other countries to enforce significant restrictions or outright bans on GMOs because they are not considered proven safe.  What we do know is that anyone eating GMOs is, in effect, a guinea pig in a very large health experiment.”

More and more, people are demanding transparency about what is in the foods they eat. One problem is that the FDA does not require that companies disclose if they contain GMOs, so it can be hard to tell which products have them and which do not.

What can you do if you want to avoid GMOs or at least know which foods they are in?

1. Learn more about GMOs at www.nongmoproject.org.

2. Look for products that have the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal.  This seal means that a product has been produced according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance and evaluated against strict standards.  Companies like Nature’s Path, an early supporter and board member of the Non-GMO Project, have products independently tested for GMOs in order to be able to bear the seal  – in fact, they are the brand with the most Non-GMO Project verified products.

3. Read labels. The most common GMO ingredients are non-organic soy, canola, corn and now beet sugar, including all of their derivatives like corn oil, corn syrup, soy protein, soy sauce and canola oil. Avoid products that contain these ingredients unless they are certified organic, as it is highly probable they are GMO.  

4. Use the Non-GMO shopping guide to make your grocery shopping lists. You can find the guide at www.nongmoshoppingguide.com, and you can download it to take with you to the market.

5. Go organic. U.S. government law does not allow genetic engineering to be used in organic production or processing.

If you are concerned about what is in the food that you feed to your family, now is the time to learn more about GMOs and look for products that do not contain them.  With a little time and effort, you can feel peace of mind that you are making the best choices for your family.

The post GMO 101: What you Need to Know about Genetically Modified Foods first appeared on The How Do Gardener.