In all the years I’ve worked as a professional journalist, I have only ever written one article covering the topic of Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs. For what it’s worth, that was one of the more interesting investigative-reporting assignments I’ve had in my entire career as writer. The article in question was published in a Pacific Nut Producer issue, though I can’t tell you which one because I didn’t obtain a copy of that PNP issue and it’s just too long ago for me to recollect exactly. It could have been circa 2002.
At any rate, the article had to do with walnut biotechnology.
Gene editing, at first blush, sounds so sci-fi-ish. The way I look at it is: Herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, you name it, can be applied to crops in the field in topical spray form or introduced into the soil and plant roots through pinpoint water-delivery methods like through drip tape. This is done as a means to try to control plant pathogens, pest infestations, etc.
Of course, another approach is to alter plant physiological gene structure to attempt to accomplish the same thing. That’s the idea behind GMO science. The gene-editing work is performed in the laboratory.
That, in a nutshell, pretty much covers it. At least, in terms of how I understand it.
When offered for consumer purchase here in the U.S., it is my understanding also, that all products containing bioengineered food ingredients or GMOs, must have words on the packaging indicating such.
In that regard, I’ve looked at several different food items available for consumer purchase that qualify or could qualify as GMO.
In two examples I cite right now, without going into too much detail, packaging wording was blunt, direct: Yes, the food contained bioengineered food ingredients. In the other example, representative wording indicated that it was indeed possible that the food in question could possibly be affected, the possibility existing that such came into contact with another food item that had been genetically modified. To repeat, at least that’s how I understand it.
What I can tell you, and I’ve shared this information with The Daily Kos readers in the past, is that I won’t consume foods containing GMOs — as long as I’m aware of their/its presence.
But, there’s a lingering question and that is: How can anyone be assured that when ordering food and drink at eateries that the ordered food in question is GMO-free? I mean one could always inquire, I suppose. Or, it’s entirely possible, plausible even, that information addressing this matter would be added on menus.
All of that said, at this point what I will say is this: If you have concerns, you may want to just be on the lookout for products containing bioengineered food ingredients.