It is crucial to discuss whether or not to label Genetically Modified Foods (GMF). GMFs should not be labeled because a majority of foods that people currently use were also modified in the past and GMFs do not pose any safety issues to consumers.
The agricultural sector has engaged in the selective breeding of animals and plants for centuries to improve specific features of these organisms. For instance, cross-breeding techniques were used to change the uses, colors and sizes of corn (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, n.d.a). Garden strawberry is also a cross-breed of two different types of strawberry (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, n.d.a). Genetic engineering is similar to cross-breeding and selective breeding because it aims to improve specific features of an organism (Whitney & Rolfes, 2018). There is no need to label GMFs foods because they are normal foods.
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Proponents argue that labeling should be allowed to enable consumers to make individual risk-benefit choices (Just Label It, n.d.). GMFs, nevertheless, pose no safety issues to consumers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the GMF industry and before any GMF enters is produced for consumer use it must pass FDA safety tests (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, n.d.b). Safe GMFs do not need special labeling since they are not substantially different from other food varieties (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, n.d.a). GMFs with modifications that may lead to harm cannot be introduced on the market until FDA tests identify them to be safe for consumption. All GMFs on the market are safe as other foods based on the FDA standards. The FDA only requires GMFs that pose safety risks to consumers to be labeled to warn consumers (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, n.d.b). For example, if a GMF has a gene that causes allergic reactions it must be labeled (Whitney & Rolfes, 2018).
GMFs should not be labeled because they are modified using similar techniques used in the past such as selective breeding and cross-breeding. They are also safe since the FDA regulates them.
References
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (n.d.a). Food from Genetically Engineered Plants - Consumer Info About Food from Genetically Engineered Plants. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GEPlants/ucm461805.htm
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (n.d.b). Food from Genetically Engineered Plants - How FDA Regulates Food from Genetically Engineered Plants. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GEPlants/ucm461831.htm
Just Label It. (n.d.). Expert Panel Confirms Importance Of GMO Labeling. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from http://www.justlabelit.org/expert-panel-confirms-importance-of-gmo- labeling/
Whitney, E. N., & Rolfes, S. R. (2018). Understanding nutrition . Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
