Should GMO ingredients be labeled as such on food products?

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beemerphile1
beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
in Food and Nutrition
There is a lot of debate about GMO food labeling.

Monsanto is the big player in this field and has been developing GMO plants that are not harmed by the herbicide glycophosphate (Roundup).

Some food producers are willing to label their products but have been bullied into not doing so. There is even a regulation in the works that could absolutely prohibit GMO labeling on foods.

Without getting into a debate as to the pro or con of GMOs, what would be the harm in allowing consumers to know what is in the product they buy? Currently the only way to be sure of avoiding GMOs is to buy foods carrying the Organic label.

Personally I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of information and believe the consumer has the right to decide what they buy based on knowing the ingredients.

What do you think? Label or no?
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Replies

  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
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    It wouldn't bother me if they decided to label GMO food. I'm not terribly concerned with GMOs.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,163 Member
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    Nope.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
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    I would be in favor of them being labeled.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    RealFoodisGood wrote: »
    Yeah, I would feel comfortable with more labelling/info in general. Let the consumer decide rather than someone else deciding for them.

    This. I wouldn't necessarily avoid an item that is gmo/doesn't have the new label, but it would be nice to have the information.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,583 Member
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    IMO, it would just open up a can of worms. Say you hypothetically have label that states it's GMO free, then someone decides to sue because they believed some "ailment" they have got worsened and blames the product. Even though it may get resolved, the court costs and fees and defense would be high. Then you have a more pile on from other claimants. Cost of food to the consumer would go up. So does that really help the consumer?

    If one is concerned about GMO's, then go buy organic.

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  • ForStMicheal
    ForStMicheal Posts: 54 Member
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    only reason to fight it is if you feel you will lose money because of it.
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
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    I don't really see the point. As others have said, if you're really concerned about it, buy organic. I think it will just become a ridiculous marketing theme, like how everything is labeled "gluten free" these days.

    Also, isn't what is GMO kind of nebulous, in terms of definitions when it comes to food? Kind of like how "natural" and "organic" can mean different things. Like, say we label the Monsanto corn as GMO. Does that mean that butternut squash and other man-created foods need a GMO label since it is, technically, genetically modified?
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
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    I don't see any need for GMO labeling.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    nope- just going to make it worse. Even Bill Nye doesn't think GMO's are an issue. Or was that Neil?

    Whatever- one of the way smarter than me people says it's a none issue- I'll trust them.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,583 Member
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    If labeling GMO REALLY matters , then let's be consistent. Don't forget to label insects, droppings, mold, etc into the labels too. If people don't think that produced boxed or canned items don't have in them, they may get surprised today.

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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    No. I trust scientists.

    The only reason why I could support it is I do like to keep native plants around. The more GMO is used, the more natural selection will cease to exist. Many native, naturally occurring plants that were created through evolution and not in a lab will become extinct at this rate.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    RealFoodisGood wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    I don't really see the point. As others have said, if you're really concerned about it, buy organic. I think it will just become a ridiculous marketing theme, like how everything is labeled "gluten free" these days.

    Also, isn't what is GMO kind of nebulous, in terms of definitions when it comes to food? Kind of like how "natural" and "organic" can mean different things. Like, say we label the Monsanto corn as GMO. Does that mean that butternut squash and other man-created foods need a GMO label since it is, technically, genetically modified?

    This is a good point, actually. While I agree with labelling for the sake of information, nobody wants GMO to become the next gluten free.

    Lots of companies advertise some real whole foods as gluten free for profits... and they never had gluten to begin with.

    Even the whole idea of buying "organic" is a pretty big joke as well.
  • teamgiff4
    teamgiff4 Posts: 62 Member
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    ForStMicheal wrote: »
    only reason to fight it is if you feel you will lose money because of it.

    Exactly.
  • AgentOrangeJuice
    AgentOrangeJuice Posts: 1,069 Member
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    I think we need to start putting real lemons in our food and artificial lemons in bleach.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Consumers always have a right to make knowledgeable choices. I don't support mandatory labelling, but I also oppose mandatary not-labelling.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    US requirements for "organic" labeling are very slack. Plus the idea of a banana being shipped 8,000 miles and getting an "organic" label makes a bit of a mockery of the whole concept.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    nope- just going to make it worse. Even Bill Nye doesn't think GMO's are an issue. Or was that Neil?

    Whatever- one of the way smarter than me people says it's a none issue- I'll trust them.

    It was Neil.

    I'm totally apathetic about this.

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