Industry Backs Up Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard

The Grocery Manufacturing Association and Food Marketing Institute have joined the conversation about establishing a national mandatory bioengineered-food disclosure standard, which would require food manufacturers that label foods for retail sale to disclose information about bioengineered food and ingredient content.

GMA urged that the act require the disclosure of refined ingredients derived from bioengineered crops in food and beverage, saying that "the disclosure of refined ingredients in foods, such as oils and sugars derived from bioengineered crops, should be mandatory under the final rule."

"Not including refined ingredients in the definition of bioengineered food will undermine the intent of the act," GMA said in its comments filed with the USDA.  "It will confuse consumers, erode trust in brands and the technology and encourage further polarizing activism about what is perceived to be information 'hidden' by brands, the food industry, institutions and policy makers."

Additionally, GMA warned that “if consumers do not believe that they are getting the transparency and ingredient information they demand, the repercussions will be felt most directly by the companies that make their food and beverage products.” 

FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin also backed up the standard, calling for a "consistent, uniform national standard will help meet this growing consumer desire for transparency in the food supply without creating unnecessary confusion."

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