Bioengineered Food

I'm seeing that on labels more lately. What is it?

Oct 19, 2024

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I’ve become much more vigilant regarding my gluten-free and dairy-free choices. By so doing, I have necessarily become much more conscious about label-reading. I have noticed that almost everything I look at that is not a whole food, from soups to crackers, has this on the label: “Contains bioengineered food ingredients.” What is THAT!? What does that mean?

The Process

The first genetically modified food brought to market was a tomato. In 1994, the FDA approved FLAVR SAVR tomatoes to be sold to the general public. Created and marketed by Calgene, Inc. in Davis, California, the tomato was engineered to stay firm after harvest, allowing it to stay on the vine longer before picking and shipping. The project failed because, while extra firm, it was expensive and not as flavorful as other tomato varieties. It was discontinued in 1997.

Throughout the late 1990s, a wave of GMO products became available to consumers, and the technology has drastically outpaced regulation. The Agrochemical corporations, led by Monsanto, engineered a handful of commodity crops to withstand the weedkiller, glyphosate, found in products such as Roundup, Glyphomax, Durango, Touchdown (Syngenta), and many home garden products. The success of these HT (herbicide tolerant) crops led to deregulation that allowed the commercialization and release of HT canola in 1998 and of HT alfalfa and sugar beets in 2005. Two decades later, countless Biotech players are working on an almost endless list of new products.

What is a bioengineered food?

GMO is the term most of us have used for the past few decades; GMO stands for “genetically modified organism.” Instead of using the more popular and readily recognized term "GMO," food manufacturers are now using the term "bioengineered ingredients" or "derived from bioengineering." In essence, all "bioengineered" plants and organisms are GMOs. The language is intentionally deceptive, as we shall see.

Scientifically speaking, there is no such thing as a GMO. Genetic modification is the process rather than a final product. The term GMO has become widely embraced as shorthand by the general public to refer to a plant or animal with n”ew traits that have been created through genetic manipulation. Called transgenesis, it is the process of taking genetic material from an unrelated species, manipulating it, and then inserting the gene snip into the original organism’s genetic code.

Developing a scientifically accurate definition for this highly politicized term has been complex and challenging for regulators. In fact, the United States does not employ a specific legal definition of a GMO. It uses a patchwork of regulations and oversight by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration (USDA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the subject.

Dr. Keith Edmisten, former Professor of Crop Science & Extension Cotton Specialist, from North Carolina University, wrote a good explanation of the various terms:

Genetically engineered and genetically modified are both used when crops are developed by means other than traditional breeding and growing.

DNA manipulation: Techniques for cloning genes, splicing DNA segments together, and inserting genes into cells are collectively known as recombinant DNA technology. It is a narrowly defined term. Under 7 CFR 66.1, a food that has been bioengineered is one “that the modification could not otherwise be obtained through conventional breeding or found in nature.”
Gene editing is the manipulation of the recipient’s genome by deleting a particular gene from the DNA. This involves manipulating a part of, or all of, the recipient’s DNA. Multiple tools exist to facilitate gene editing, but CRISPR/Cas is by far the most commonly used. The term CRISPR is sometimes used interchangeably with gene editing. The resulting organism is called subgenic.

Gene stacking is inserting two or more genes into the recipient plant. Most commonly, both the insect-resistant Bt gene and the herbicide-resistant genes from the family of Cry1Ac genes are inserted. Unfortunately, regulatory standards for GMO stacking are lacking and the scientific interpretation of studies is subject to intense debate between the science and regulatory community. Studies that point out even potentially negative effects of combining the two genes are met with heavy criticism from GM proponents. Dissenting interpretations are based on narrowly defined risk assessments. Decisions are being made based on policy rather than scientific observation.
Genetic modification is a range of methods used to alter the genetics of plants and animals. Genetically modified plants, animals, or microorganisms have had their genetic material altered in a way that does not occur naturally in nature. For example, Monsanto created a variety of pest-resistant plants by inserting a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium known to kill certain types of insects. Growers use Bt corn to control the southwestern corn borer. When the insect eats the leaves of a Bt-transformed plant, it dies. This is how the Bt gene gives the vegetable protection from pests.
Genetic engineering (GE) is a type of genetic modification. Genetic engineering is the only type of gene modification that specifically targets a plant’s or an animal’s DNA to create a specific characteristic, such as resistance to an antibiotic or herbicide. GE crops are broadly classified as:
- herbicide-tolerant (HT) - resistant to potent herbicides (such as glyphosate, glufosinate, and dicamba) or
- insect-resistant (Bt) or
- a “stacked” varietal, having both HT and Bt traits.

How GE works

These are the methods for inserting a gene into an organism’s DNA:

The first method involves inserting the gene or plasmid from a pathogen, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or Agrobacterium tumefaciens (HT), into the genome of cultured plant cells.
Another delivery method is a “gene gun,” which fires gold particles carrying the foreign DNA of one plant into the cells of the recipient plant. Some of these particles end up in the cell nucleus, where the transgene integrates itself into the recipient plant’s chromosomes.
The problem with this method is that the location of the insertion is haphazard, and multiple snips may be incorporated into different areas of the DNA. Engineers must screen the plant cells that contain the foreign gene for efficacy. In both instances, an entirely new species has been created.

Regulation

Regulation of GM crops in the United States is divided among three regulatory agencies: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Each of these agencies regulates transgenic crops from a different perspective.

EPA regulates biopesticides, including the Bt toxins
FDA is responsible for regulating the safety of GM crops eaten by humans or animals
USDA is responsible for all phases of agriculture and all issues surrounding public policy

New Rules

The rules about labeling food as GMO have always varied from state to state. As of January 2022, all food manufacturers, retailers, and importers who package and label food must comply with the USDA's National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS). Although the rule was passed on February 19, 2019, the USDA gave the industry time to make the changes to their products and the labels, more time than usual due to COVID-19 delays. The new rules require disclosure of information about whether food offered for retail sale is bioengineered (BE) or uses BE food ingredients. The food industry is promoting new as a win for consumers. But in actuality, it may be less transparent and more confusing for consumers than no labeling at all.

For example, a 2020 survey from the Hartman Group showed that 97% of consumers were familiar with the term "GMO," compared with only 50% who reported familiarity with "bioengineering." This indicates that most people will not know what “made with Bioengineered (BE) ingredients” disclosure even means. And if the product has several ingredients, it will take personal research to know which ingredient they are referring to. The contents contained here will help shorten the process.

Overall, the rule is tricky.

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The USDA list determines which foods are considered bioengineered in their most basic, raw form. However, the way the BE law is written — with exemptions, loopholes, and technical limitations — many products made from bioengineered ingredients will not require a disclosure.

For example, the law does not apply to restaurants and similar food establishments (e.g. cafeterias, food trucks, airplanes, etc.) or small food manufacturers with annual gross revenues of less than $2,500,000. Exempt from the labeling are animal feed, pet food, personal care products, meat, poultry, and eggs. Stabilizers, highly refined cooking oils such as canola oil, artificial flavorings, or sugar made from genetically modified beets have no requirements to be labeled. Also, there is no requirement to notify consumers if the animals have been fed bioengineered crops.

Multi-ingredient products where the first ingredient is meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or even water are exempt if other ingredients with detectable modified genetic material are included in the product. This means the multi-ingredient product may not be labeled as containing BE ingredients based on the order in which the ingredients are listed.

The new rules require a product to be labeled only if it contains a detectable amount of bioengineered genetic material, not if it was manufactured with a BE ingredient. Similar to Apeel, which I wrote about previously, and other food additives, the amount of BE ingredients in an individual item may seem inconsequential, but given that modern diets are loaded with processed food, how much BE material is being consumed over time?

Genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant (HT), and insect-resistant (Bt) crops have gained remarkable commercial success in the United States. The EPA estimates that glyphosate is used on at least 70 different crops. The alarming results include:

100% of soybeans
90% of oranges
85% of almonds
85% of figs
85% of grapefruits
85% of pistachios

Not So Fast

Not all the countries of the world have embraced that new biotech, no matter how convincing the industry is about the benefits. Because more than 80 percent of GE crops grown around the world have been engineered for herbicide tolerance, a significant increase in the use of toxic herbicides has occurred, increasing its negative impact on the environment and human health. Several countries have banned the use of genetically engineered species. As of 2023, the following countries have banned these products:

European Union: France, Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark, Malta, Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia.
Africa: Algeria and Madagascar
Asia: Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, and Saudi Arabia
South America: Belize, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela

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Frankenfoods are real

The USDA has published a list of GE food plants that have been approved for use in the US. You can find that list here. New BE products are continually being developed. At least another 20 fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes are in various stages of development for genetic modification or genetic engineering, including plums, tomatoes, bananas, strawberries, and other types of apples.

Another risk seldom talked about is the unknown consequences of altering the natural state of the organism by inserting a foreign gene from another species. For example, inserting a gene from a bacteria into a plant or inserting a gene from a plant into an animal creates a new, interspecies hybrid. After all, such alterations can change the organism's metabolism, growth rate, ability to reproduce, longevity, and response to various external environmental factors. Potential health risks to humans include exposure to unique allergens, the transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes to gut to our flora, and a list of long-term, unknown consequences.

What you can do

What they’ve done and continue to do to our God-given, God-created food supply is beyond evil. Yes, they want us to eat bugs - I wrote about that previously. (part 1) (part 2), and they want us to eat fake meat. But knowledge is power, and that’s why I write these substacks. Once you know, you can make different, better choices. Here are some suggestions:

Eat locally grown food. Since most genetically engineered food comes from large industrial farms, you are more likely to find non-GMO food grown by small local farms.
Join a local food co-op. This will also allow you to eat seasonally grown food, which is better for your health.
Purchase only verified animal-derived products. This is one of the best ways to impact the GMO supply chain.
Read Labels. Ingredients change frequently. Read every label, even on products and from manufacturers you regularly buy from. Buy organic as much as possible

Look for the Butterfly label on food. The label is from The Non-GMO Project Product Verification Program (PVP). From their website: The Non-GMO Project works to preserve and build our non-GMO food supply. The PVP applies also evaluates raw ingredients and animal feed.

Join the fight. Let's ban glyphosate and the release of more GM foods.

The Non-GMO Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to building and preserving the non-GMO food supply for all. We offer North America’s most trusted certification for GMO avoidance. With our Butterfly label, shoppers decide for themselves whether to consume GMOs.
The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT), also a 501(c)(3), has been a world leader in educating the public and change-makers about the health risks and environmental dangers of GMOs and associated pesticides for more than 20 years. The group empowers consumers to lead an organic lifestyle and shape the changing marketplace to reject GMOs from the food supply and environment.