It has been estimated that upwards of 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves – from soda to soup, crackers to condiments – contain bioengineered ingredients or GMOs for the past 20 years. Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, professor of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology at the University of California, Davis, joins me on the podcast to sort out the confusion and bring the scientific evidence to light along with the new USDA labeling rules.
A “bioengineered” (GMO) plant or animal has had a new gene inserted into it to give it a useful trait, like making it resistant to a pest or disease, ability to grow in drought conditions or enhancing its nutritional value.
It has been estimated that upwards of 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves – from soda to soup, crackers to condiments – contain bioengineered ingredients or GMOs for the past 20 years.
Despite being around for so long, they are widely misunderstood, and have been vilified since they first hit the marketplace. They evoke fear and uncertainty to many, primarily because understanding genes is complicated. American consumers crave technology in every aspect of their lives except in food production.
Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, professor of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology at the University of California, Davis, joins me on the podcast to sort out the confusion and bring the scientific evidence to light along with the new USDA labeling rules.
*More than 20 years of data support the safety of foods made with bioengineered crops
*Bioengineered crops enable farmers to use fewer chemicals and reduce their carbon footprint.
*Globally, bioengineered crops are providing a lifesaving technology to feed a growing population, enable farmers to prosper in arid conditions, reduce malnutrition and blindness (golden rice).
*Before a food is bioengineered, the protein is thoroughly evaluated to make sure it Is not an allergen or toxic compound.
*Approval of a bioengineered food is highly analyzed and regulated with costs close to $136 million to bring a new bioengineered product to market.
*Bioengineering is a tool in the agricultural toolbox that provides numerous benefits, especially in third world nations.