What Does Non-GMO Mean - and Does it Matter?
We're so happy to be back for this week's Factual Friday!
Today, let's talk about another food label: non-GMO.
Like antibiotic-free and organic, this is another one that tends to be incredibly polarizing. But do you understand what it actually means?
Most people will tell you GMOs are bad - but don't know what it means, why it's bad, or what it even stands for.
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What Does GMO Mean?
A GMO is a genetically modified organism, meaning it has had genes modified for a certain reason (typically, to improve growth rates, nutritional content, pest resistance, or make a product more sustainable or easier/more cost-effective to produce).
Until the 1980s, this was done through selective breeding (something that's still done today, of course). Genetic modification isn't much different, except it's much faster because it gives something (usually, a plant) the desired trait much faster.
Many people see genetic modification as an extension of regular plant breeding, but this has to do with specifically transferring genetic material from one organism into the genome of another.
This is most often used - and is considered concerning - in crops like corn and soy. Along with cotton, they constitute about 90% of all GMOs in the US.
Are GMOs Safe?
GMOs are often feared, but they're not inherently bad. For example, many crops have been modified to resist pests.
The Bt gene, for instance, is often added to corn and comes from a naturally-corruing bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis. It produces a protein that's toxic to pests so the crops don't need to be exposed to as many harmful pesticides. Other crops have been modified with genes to help them resist drought or disease.
However, lots of people have concerns about their effect on safety. Several of the biggest concerns? Allergies, cancer, and honeybees.
Many people worry that GMOs can trigger allergic reactions since they contain foreign foods, but this has never been found to be true. The same goes for cancer risk - the American Cancer Society has stated there's no evidence to link GMO food intake to an increased or decreased risk of cancer.
As for honeybees, there's no evidence that pollen from modified crops impacts honeybees, either.
Round-Up and GMOs
The biggest problem, in my opinion, with GMOs is that many GMO crops are engineered to be resistant to herbicides like Roundup.
By using Roundup-resistant seed, it's possible to kill surrounding weeds without killing the intended crop (usually corn). Unlike the other examples, there's quite a bit of evidence to show that glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) can cause lasting health problems in humans, including certain cancers.
Aside from corn and soy, other products you might find that are GMO include canola, sugar beets, alfalfa, potatoes, papaya, summer squash, and some apple varieties. GMO foods do not have to be labeled as such, but processed foods containing GMO ingredients do. This will typically read "bioengineered food."
Is Meat Genetically Modified?
For the most part, technically, meat itself isn't genetically modified (with the exception of a few animal species, the GalSafe pig and the AquAdvantage salmon). GalSafe pork is modified to remove alpha sugars, which cause allergic reactions in some people. This is not yet available to consumers. The salmon is modified to grow larger faster. Genetically modified cattle recently received approval from the FDA as well, being modified to be more slick-coated and heat-tolerant.
For the most part, though, the meat you are buying at the grocery store or from your local farmer is not GMO. Where GMOs come into play, though, is in the feed. About 95% of all animals used for meat and dairy in the United States eat GMO crops.
Because regulations involving GMOs are murky at best, it can be difficult for producers to figure out if the feed has been modified. Even the Non-GMO Project Verified label states, "Because GMOs are so widely used in the food industry, the Non-GMO Project cannot guarantee that products are completely free of GMO residue." Feed that does receive the label must contain "less than 5% ingredients from GMOs."
Is Non-GMO Food Organic?
Remember, non-GMO isn't necessarily organic, either, though all organic is non-GMO. It does not address pesticides or other chemicals used in feed or drug use in animals.
This is another food label where it's really important to think critically. If you're buying corn, for example, and it's described as non-GMO, that might not necessarily be a good thing - it could still have been treated with pesticides even if it's not Roundup-resistant corn.
Should I Buy Non-GMO Meat?
As for beef and lamb, you might be better-suited looking for grass-fed. As we've discussed in previous posts, remember - cows, sheep, and goats are ruminants. This means their digestive tracts are uniquely designed to eat grass and convert it into energy - not corn, wheat, soy, or anything else.
As for pork and chicken, it can get trickier. Remember, most of the feed grown in the United States is not GMO-free. And if you see someone trying to sell you grass-fed pork or chicken, run the other way.
Pigs and chickens are both omnivores and require diverse diets to be healthy (they are monogastric animals - animals with a single-compartmented stomach, like humans, too). Monogastric animals can't digest cellulose food matter (grasses) as well as ruminants can.
One particular problem with trying to force your chickens to be vegetarian, for example, is that they become methionine-deficient. This critical amino acid helps prevent disease - when chickens are deficient, they are more likely to cannibalize each other and suffer from many other health problems.
You can supplement "vegetarian chickens" with synthetic methionine, but it's made in a lab with things like hydrogen cyanide, methyl mercaptan, and acrolein - so it's probably best to just let chickens be chickens and eat meat (FYI - synthetic methionine IS allowed under the USDA Organic label - so keep that in mind if you buy organic vegetarian chicken).
So, tangent aside, there's not really a good way to completely omit GMOs in meat, at least not for now - and not much evidence saying we truly need to. Of course, sticking to grass-fed for animals in which that type of diet is natural is best - and asking the tough questions of your farmer is a close second.
The Takeaway
If you've been reading these posts hoping I'll say, "Organic is good," or "organic is bad" or "GMO is good" or "GMO is bad," you're likely finding yourself a little disappointed! I won't ever say one way or another that one type of food is good or bad, or urge you to buy one way or another.
Hopefully, though, this information is helpful when it comes to making an informed decision about what you choose to buy - weigh everything with a grain of salt and decide which factors matter most to you. My goal is simply to educate you on what the terms mean so you can go into with the most knowledge (and confidence) possible!
