Consumer Reports: Consumers Unwittingly Equate "Natural" with No GMOs

Consumer Reports tested a wide variety of packaged-food items containing corn or soy – and found that genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are present in many common products including breakfast cereals, chips, and infant formula. Some carry labels like “natural,” suggesting that they don’t have these controversial ingredients. A recent survey of 1,000 American adults conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center showed that a majority of people – 64 percent – mistakenly equate “natural” with no GMOs. The same survey also showed that nearly three-quarters of all Americans are seeking foods produced without genetically modified organisms. “Foods that are frozen, made from concentrate or homogenized are all required to be labeled. Why shouldn’t products containing GMOs also be labeled?” said Jean Halloran, Director of Food Policy Initiatives. “Shoppers are being misled when they buy products labeled 'natural' given their expectation that they are getting food that contain no GMOs.” The GMO report is available at ConsumerReports.org. Consumer Reports wanted to see how many foods contain GMOs, and whether or not people could rely on packaging claims that suggest there are no GMOs in certain products. The organization bought more than 80 different processed foods containing corn or soy, two of the most widely grown genetically engineered crops in the U.S. It tested at least two samples of each product – each sample from a different lot – to measure GMO content. Finally, it compared the test findings with product claims to determine which ones were valid, and which ones were not. The products were purchased between April and July 2014. In order for a product to qualify as non-GMO it had to have no more than 0.9 percent genetically modified corn or soy. In the European Union, ingredients that are greater than 0.9 percent GMO must be labeled as having GMOs. Highlights of the Findings: What This Means for Consumers

“Until GMO labeling becomes mandatory, consumers who want to avoid GMOs should look for “organic” or “Non-GMO Project Verified” labels. We also believe that since consumers are being misled by the “natural” label: it is yet one more reason “natural” should be banned on food,” said Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., Executive Director, Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability.