Page 71 - Spring2008

The other popular trait is found in corn and ingredients.” Some products limit their claim to
cotton varieties that are engineered to produce only one particular “at-risk” ingredient such as
a pesticide in every cell. Their DNA contains soy lecithin, listing it as “Non-GMO.”
a gene from a soil bacterium called Bacillus
thuringiensis or Bt, which produces a natural TIP THREE
insect-killing poison called Bt-toxin. Avoid at-risk ingredients. The seven GM
In addition to these two major types of GM crops—soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, Hawaiian
crops, there are also disease-resistant GM zuc- papaya, and a small amount of zucchini and yellow
chini, crook neck squash and Hawaiian papaya, crook neck squash—look just like their non-GMO
but these comprise well under 1 percent of GMO counter-
acreage. But parts. You
if sugar beet can’t see a
growers have difference
their way, they by looking
will add GM at them.
sugar to our (Novel
diets starting products
in late 2008. such as
Here are seedless
four tips for water -
avoiding GM melons,
products. pear/apple
combos
TIP ONE and tange-
Buy organic. Organic standards do not allow los are products of natural breeding and are not
the use of GM inputs. genetically engineered.)
There are three types of organic labels: Most GM ingredients eaten by US consumers
are in the form of products made from corn and
1. “100% organic” means all ingredients are soybeans, used in processed foods. Perhaps 90
organic percent of all non-organic processed foods contain
2. “Organic” means that at least 95% of the at least some small contribution from soy or corn, The seven
ingredients are organic. The other 5%, how- or perhaps some cooking oil from cottonseed or GM crops—
ever, still have to be non-GMO canola. Go to www.responsibletechnology.org
3. “Made with organic (ingredient name,such for a long list of derivatives. Shopping with that soy, corn,
as soy)” This label means that at least 70 in your hand will help you navigate around the cottonseed,
percent of the ingredients are organic, but genetically modifi ed organisms (GMOs). See the canola,
the remaining 30 percent still have to be sidebar on page 72 for a small list.
non-GMO. Hawaiian
TIP FOUR papaya, and a
If the term organic is only in the list of ingre- Use Non-GMO Shopping Guides. The True small amount
dients and not found anywhere else on the pack- Food Guide offers non-GMO brand choices at
age, then there is no required overall percentage www.truefoodnow.org. The guide has also been of zucchini
for organic ingredients in the product, and any reproduced as an insert in the back of the book, and yellow
non-organic ingredient may be GMO. Your Right to Know by Andrew Kimbrell. The crook neck
book is available at www.seedsofdeception.
TIP TWO com. squash—look
Look for “Non-GMO” Labels. Companies Our Campaign for Healthier Eating in just like their
may voluntarily label products as Non-GMO. America will put out a more up-to-date series of non-GMO
Some labels state “Non-GMO” while others free guides, beginning in the summer of 2008.
spell out “Made without genetically modifi ed Check www.responsibletechnology.org. counterparts.
SPRING 2008 Wise Traditions 71