Campbell's soup just did something that no other company has done. On Thursday, Jan. 7, the company showed its support to the federal regulation of GMO ingredients, according to ABC news. While we won't be seeing any GMO labeling on our favorite chicken noodle soups anytime soon, something is in the works.
According to the Non-GMO Project, GMOs are living organisms, like plants and now animals, whose DNA has been altered in a laboratory through genetic engineering. What this means in simpler terms is that it is something that is not naturally occurring. And very surprisingly, GMOs are in a lot of the foods that we eat every single day.
According to Morgan Helme, when GMO crops were first introduced in America in 1993, only 17 percent of the soy produced in this country was genetically modified. Today 93 percent of the soy produced in this country is a GMO. Products from soy milk and tofu to any packaged cereals now contain genetically modified ingredients unless otherwise specified with the USDA Organic label. Corn is also a very big GM crop. Corn, like soy, is in a lot of the food products that we consume daily.
In a statement on their website the company stated, "Campbell believes it is necessary for the federal government to provide a national standard for labeling requirements to better inform consumers about this issue. The company will advocate for federal legislation that would require all foods and beverages regulated by the
There are two sides to this major debate; you either are OK with GMOs or you're not. With that being said, since GMOs were introduced in the early 90s, the percentage of individuals affected with allergies have skyrocketed. According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, Americans with three or more chronic illnesses has jumped from 7 to 13 percent in just nine years. GMO crops were introduced to be able to fend off predators like insects "naturally." What this means is that the genetically altered plant is it's own insecticide so that it doesn't need extra sprays of pesticides and such.
Right now, there is no label required for any food that contains a GMO ingredient. What consumers can look for is the USDA Organic Label or the Non-GMO Project verification stamp. According to the Non-GMO Project, the packaged foods containing GMO ingredients are clearly labeled in the European Nations.
Campbell's did make it clear, however, that they firmly believe that GMOs are safe and not nutritionally different from other foods. But, with 92 percent of Americans in favor of GMO labeling, they have decided that it be necessary. The label would look something like the picture below.