People in modern world are very conscious of their health and about what they eat. There is a wide variety in the way food is grown. There is the conventional non-organic food, organic food and a also genetically improved food. Organic food has become quite popular far and wide, but not many people are still aware about the ‘genetically improved/engineered food’. So before, we proceed with the activities revolving around genetic food, an understanding of what genetic food is all about will be required.
[box_dark]What is Genetically Engineered Food?[/box_dark]
A genetically engineered food basically refers to foods which have been derived using genetically modified organisms like crops or fish. These organisms have some specific changes introduced into their DNA by the way of genetic engineering techniques. Genetically engineered foods have been there in the market since 1994. Genetically engineered foods are basically transgenic plant products which mainly include soybean, corn, canola, rice, and cotton seed oil to name a few.
However, this variety of edible food has been amidst controversy since its inception way back in 1994. Environmentalists have criticized this breed of foods on various grounds like safety issues, ecological and economic concerns etc.
[box_dark]The Fight For Genetically Engineering Food[/box_dark]
Having understood what genetically engineered food is all about, the readers will be able to appreciate the food labeling initiative much better now. Recently, there had been a campaign in the United States wherein, people had demanded on labeling the genetically modified food products. They said, that there needs to be a transparency with the consumers and it is their right to know, what is the food that they have bought made up of.
[box_dark]The Proposition 37 Initiative[/box_dark]
The movement popularly known as Proposition 37, are vowing to take the fight for the consumers’ right to know what is there in their food. The campaign this year had to face defeat in the polls this year. In the poll, the initiative did really well in most of the coastal counties including Los Angeles, but they lost big time in the Central Valley and the other rural parts of California. Undeterred by the defeat, the initiative campaign is planned to be launched in Washington state next year and also in Oregon the year after that. A group of Organic farmers, retailers, and various consumer groups have plans to make another effort to pass a legislation and pressurize the U.S. Foods and Drug Administration for a proper written labeling regulation.
