A 2003 poll showed that 92 percent of Americans favor labeling genetically Engineered (GE) food. Why would this food need labeled? Because it was created by transporting a gene from one organism to another, therefore making it a new organism. This action is done in animals and plants alike. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are organisms whose genomes have been altered to favor certain characteristics (Diaz). For many years there has been breeding done in plants so as to have the desired characteristics, such as juicier tomatoes. The United States government does not see GMOs differently from breeding. GMOs, though, are formed by scientific procedures like cloning and Recombinant DNA technology. A primary reason …show more content…
The PLU or “price look up” code allows customers to know what is organic, GMO, and conventional produce. Organic produce includes a five digit number starting with the number nine. GE produce is found with a five digit number starting with nine. Conventional produce is found by any four digit number. Finding other GMO foods might mean reading the ingredient label - corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed are often GMO. According to the USDA, organic food must be antibiotic and irradiation free, and non-GMO, to be labeled …show more content…
Ninety-two percent of Americans favor labeling genetically Engineered (GE) food because of a lack of knowledge about GMOs (Gay). Consumers Choice Counsel stated that if GMO food is beneficial, then the producers should be willing to have it labeled (Gay). Consumers have the right to know the content of their food, and the circumstances under which it was produced. Bacteria has become resistant to antibiotics, since antibiotics have been added to animal food, and is also used for plant breeding (Gay). Pharma crops, produce made with medicinal drugs, if consumed, could endanger that human’s life. Pharma crops, though beginning with a good intent, have many possible dangerous outcomes. Pharma crops were found growing in soybean fields, because the year before ProdiGene had them there for testing (Gay). Ventria Biosciences planned on moving to Missouri for growing Pharma rice, but a brewery and a food company, besides many rice farmers, opposed it (Gay). Why should the average individual know if their food contains GMOs? Some could possibly have allergic reactions (Gay). StarLink corn was found in food. The EPA had only said it was good for animal food, not human consumption. StarLink, even though the FDA denies it, is believed to cause