You want to know what’s in the food you’re eating, right?

Sure, labels tell you if there’s gluten or artificial sweeteners (or a dozen other things). But they DON’T tell you if what’s inside was made with ingredients that were genetically engineered.

What does “genetically engineered” mean? It’s the lab process of artificially inserting genes into the DNA of food crops or animals. The result is called a genetically modified organism, or GMO.

Label on a Food Product made in the Netherlands

Genetic alteration can improve the resistance of a plant or an animal to insects and disease, allow crops to require less water, and enhance taste and quality.

But, just like a product that has preservatives, genetically engineered food should be labeled so we know what we’re buying.

Sixty major food companies, including Monsanto, Kellogg’s, General Mills and Kraft, don’t agree. Monsanto’s website says:

“Such mandatory labeling could imply that food products containing these ingredients are somehow inferior to their conventional or organic counterparts.”

Are we supposed to take the word of the biotech industry that the food we’re eating is safe? Why not provide labeling so there is complete transparency and consumers can make a choice?

The FDA doesn’t require or conduct safety studies on genetically engineered food. They should. Even China and Russia require labeling!

If you think the FDA should require labeling of genetically altered food, click here. Who knows what we’ll discover about the affects of genetically engineered food 10 years from now?

Can you say cyclamates?