Many consumers still left in the dark on what GMO and BFI actually mean for the future of our agriculture and supply chain as the USDA puts a Mandatory Compliance timestamp of January 2025 on the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law, after updating the Final Rule in December 2023.
A researcher checks alfalfa plants inside a molecular biology laboratory at Bioceres Crop Solutions in Rosario, Argentina, on July 26, 2022. Argentina’s genetically modified (GM) crops, for years much questioned by environmentalists, are seeing the wind blowing in their favor, with new technological developments and health approvals abroad, at a time when the world fears for food security. (Photo by HECTOR RIO / AFP) (Photo by HECTOR RIO/AFP via Getty Images)
By Maliyah Simone, CRDN
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
The term Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is not new to consumers. The news articles, labels found in store aisles, and the conversations surrounding the GMO have been a hot topic for nearly five decades. But a new process in genetic engineering has emerged over the past few years that has thrown consumers for a loop: Bioengineered Food Ingredients (BFI).
At its first induction into regular practices, BFI’s were scrutinized as being a cover-up term for GMO’s, however, the USDA published a fact sheet in hopes to clarify the confusion between the two starkly different processes. Bioengineered Food Ingredients and Genetically Modified Organisms sound polyonymous, but they have distinct differences in their meanings that ironically allow one to be the other, but not the other way around. Simply put: All BFI’s are
GMO’s but not all GMO’s are BFI’s.
Bioengineered Food Ingredients are ingredients within food that have been modified genetically or otherwise using components and ingredients that cannot be derived from or found naturally occurring within nature.
Genetically Modified Organisms are organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms that have been genetically modified to extend, protect, improve, etc., the functions or naturally occurring characteristics of the organism.
While an astounding 53% of Americans say that they know next to nothing about GMOs, over half (51%) of America are not convinced that the process of genetically modifying foods is safe. Considering the fact that 70-80% of the food we eat in the US is derived from genetically modified sources, the odds of disapproving consumers actually ingesting GMOs on a regular basis is very high.
On one hand, some consumers worry that these foods may cause future health issues such as infertility, introduction to new allergies, and cause changes to major organs and the gastrointestinal system. Traditional and organic farmers note that GMO and BFI have thepotential to affect native species and environments potentially causing disruptions to entire ecosystems.
On the other hand, the scientists and farmers who work with GMOs and BFIs daily say that the benefits of foods having a longer shelf life, quicker organism reproduction, rapid and enhanced growth, and the added and controllable nutritional value outweigh the fears of others.
So, what are the facts about GMOs and BFIs, and will regulations come that will help ensure consumers can trust the foods in our supply chain?
The good news is that these products are already under strict labeling regulations that ensure Americans are aware of what is GMO and what is not. GMO and BFI products are required to have labels which notify consumers that they are purchasing GMO and BFI foods and products. This has been required by law since January 1st, 2022. Regulations began back in July 2016 when the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law (NBFDL), was passed by Congress. The regulation requires the USDA to establish a nationally mandatory standard that discloses foods that are bioengineered.
Over the past 8 years, updates have been made to the law that provide additional stipulations; including additions to the list of certain products that fall under the GMO/BFI products. The list of most commonly found GMO foods and their percentages include, but are not limited to: Sugar beet 99.9% GMO, Canola 95% GMO, Soybean 94% GMO, Corn 92% GMO, Cottonseed 94% GMO, Potatoes, Summer squash, Papaya, Apples, Alfalfa, and Cotton.
In December of 2023, the USDA published the Final Rule (FR) to the NBFDL, adding “sugarcane (Bt insect-resistant varieties)” and amending “squash (summer)” to “squash (summer, coat protein-mediated virus-resistant varieties)”. With this update of the FR to the NBFDL, all GMOs and BFIs are mandatorily required to be properly labeled in compliance with the law by January 2025.
These regulations are in place for every brand, store, and entity including big box stores like Walmart, Target, and Costco; all of which tend to have higher averages of GMO products available in their inventories. Smaller stores, often noted as the “health food stores”, such as Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and Whole Foods have taken food safety into their own hands by developing individual non-GMO/BFI brands and partnering with organic farmers to meet their consumer’s needs. However, recently, Whole Foods’ customers have become increasingly curious about some of the ingredients within the 365 brand, raising the alarm that the company has allegedly begun implementing bioengineered food ingredients into their “non-GMO” products. We reached out to Whole Foods for comment on the allegations, but have not yet received a response.
New York, NY, August 7, 2024 – Whole Foods iconic Crispy Almond Cookies, and Blueberry Muffins, among hundreds, if not thousands of Whole Foods products, including Whole Foods’ iconic Miso Adzuki Farro salad, and its Sweet Chili Salmon fish, containing unspecified BIFs.
Although the law that regulates them is only a few years old, GMO practices, processes, and technologies have been around for decades. In fact, it was 1973 when the term GMO was coined by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen after they developed a method that would take out one gene from an organism and incorporate it into another organism. Through this process, they were able to transfer a gene from the host that aids in antibiotic resistance from a specific strain of bacteria and utilize it as a vehicle to grant antibiotic resistance to the recipient.
It appears that GMO and BFI utilization in food production will not be slowing down anytime soon. Consumers are urged to make the choices that best align with their needs and beliefs regarding the subject.