Pros and Cons of Labelling Genetically modified foods

There are many arguments both in favour of and against mandatory labelling of GE foods. Those arguments are summarized below.

Pro-labelling Arguments• Consumers have a right to know what’s in their food, especially concerning products for which health and environmental concerns have been raised. • Mandatory labelling will allow consumers to identify and steer clear of food products that cause them problems. • Surveys indicate that a majority of citizens support mandatory labelling. • least 21 countries and the European Union have established some form of mandatory labelling. • For religious or ethical reasons, many people want to avoid eating animal products, including animal DNA. Anti-labelling Arguments• Labels on GE food imply a warning about health effects, whereas no significant differences between GE and conventional foods have been detected. If a nutritional or allergenic difference were found in a GE food, current FDA regulations require a label to that effect. • Labelling of GE foods to fulfil the desires of some consumers would impose a cost on all consumers. Experience with mandatory labelling in the European Union, Japan, and New Zealand has not resulted in consumer choice. Rather, retailers have eliminated GE products from their shelves due to perceived consumer aversion to GE products. • Consumers who want to buy non-GE food already have an option: to purchase certified organic foods, which by definition cannot be produced with GE ingredients. • The food system infrastructure (storage, processing, and transportation facilities) could not currently accommodate the need for segregation of GE and non-GE products. – www.ext.colostate.edu

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