Civil litigation over whether GMOs belong in ‘all-natural’ products will continue to clog up US courts owing to the FDA’s refusal to weigh in on this issue, says Mission tortilla chips maker Gruma Corp.
While federal GMO labeling bills introduced to the House of Representatives and the Senate last year are still gaining co-sponsors, Congress does not need to pass them for the FDA to take action and fulfil a pledge Barack Obama made on the campaign trail...
A new comprehensive test that combines two well-known genetic analysis methods into a single test could help enforce stricter regulation of genetically modified foods in the future, say researchers.
It might have enraged those in favor of mandatory GMO labeling, but a leaked document outlining the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s (GMA’s) ideas for a federally regulated 'voluntary' approach to this issue has been praised by one ex-FDA...
The FDA has written to three federal judges handling civil cases vs food manufacturers over natural claims to “respectfully decline” their request to come to an administrative determination of whether GMOs belong in ‘all-natural’ foods.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents some of the largest food and beverage manufacturers, is seeking approval to label foods containing GMO ingredients “natural”, according to a Dec. 5 letter the GMA sent to the US Food and Drug Administration.
A controversial new report alleging that genetically engineered foods could be an environmental trigger for gluten sensitivity and celiac disease has been challenged by the Celiac Disease Foundation and a leading plant geneticist.
Despite recent renewed efforts, the food industry does not appear to be winning hearts and minds when it comes to persuading the public of the merits of GM crops, or why mandatory labeling of ingredients derived from them would be a bad idea.
The Council for Biotechnology Information launched GMO Answers today, “to do a better job answering your questions — no matter what they are — about GMOs.”
Chobani has vowed to “explore the complexities” of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) following the launch of a petition in the US that claims it is reliant on milk from cows fed a diet full of genetically-altered produce.
Two leading trade associations representing the natural products and dietary supplements sectors have clarified their stance on GMO labeling this week, with the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) favoring voluntary disclosure of the absence of...
Big interview, Gregory Jaffe, Director of Biotechnology, CSPI
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has made a name for itself by tackling the food industry’s big guns on everything from artery-furring entrees to misleading label claims. But where does it stand on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?
Japan will not lift its ban on US Western White wheat imports until the American government provides detailed information on the extent of unauthorized genetically modified wheat found in Oregon, a government official says.
Chipotle has started adding a red ‘G’ for GMOs next to foods on its online menu that are made using ingredients that may come from genetically modified crops such as corn and soy.
The campaign for mandatory GMO labeling gained a further boost this week as the Maine House of Representatives voted 141-4 in favor of LD 718, a bill that would require foods made with ingredients from biotech crops to carry the label ‘Produced with Genetic...
The debate about the labeling of genetically modified organisms is unlikely to do much to further define what is and what isn’t ‘natural,’ an expert says.
The proliferation of proposed state GMO labeling laws is a means to an end, according to one longtime advocate. The ultimate goal is a federal law that would require GMO labeling across the US.
Big interview: Cathy Enright, EVP, food & agriculture, Biotechnology Industry Organization
When it comes to winning hearts and minds about the merits of genetically engineered ingredients (and whether to alert consumers to their presence on food labels), it’s fair to say that the biotech industry has not done a great job.
The Vermont House of Representatives has passed H.112, a bill requiring the labeling of all genetically engineered (GE) food sold in Vermont. However, there are plenty of hurdles ahead.
An Abbott Laboratories shareholder proposal to remove genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) from its natural products - including its Similac infant formula range - has been rejected, the company has revealed.
Voters will get to decide whether foods with genetically modified ingredients should be labeled in Washington State because lawmakers have taken no action on GMO labeling initiative I-522.
A bill requiring the labeling of GMO ingredients has been introduced at the federal level by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR. Even though the bill’s chances of passage are uncertain, observers see it as a watershed moment.
The Natural Products Association (NPA) has called for all foods containing GMOs to be “accurately labeled under a national uniform standard so consumers can make educated decisions about foods they purchase”.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR is working on a bill that would make the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms a matter of federal law, a spokesperson confirmed yesterday. If passed, the bill, which is still in its early formative stages...
GMO Inside, a national coalition of companies and organizations, has marshaled a public Valentine’s Day campaign to pressure Hershey and Mars to drop GMO ingredients or to label them in their chocolate candies.
Supporters of a New Mexico Senate bill proposing mandatory labeling for genetically engineered food and feed say they are disappointed it died on the Senate floor last week, but remain confident that other states’ GMO labeling initiatives will succeed.
Cereal giants Kellogg and General Mills have both defended the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their breakfast cereals in response to a January anti-GMO campaign against them.
While Prop 37 did not pass, the failure to disclose the presence of GMOs in foods that are marketed as ‘natural’ is still generating a steady stream of civil litigation, with Goldfish Crackers the latest brand to be targeted in a class action lawsuit...
Bosses at Amy’s Kitchen, Whole Foods Market, UNFI, Nature’s Path and Jimbo’s… Naturally have joined forces to tackle myths they claim are being perpetuated by opponents of Californian GMO labeling initiative Prop 37.
The dispute over whether Californian GMO labeling initiative Prop 37 will prevent manufacturers from using the term ‘natural’ on foods that contain no GMOs at all continues to rage, with Yes and No campaigns offering diametrically opposed interpretations...
A French study on the effects of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) maize in rats has said little about the safety or otherwise of GM crops – but it has said plenty about how the media can be used to push an agenda.
Friends of the Earth and the French Government have called for ‘immediate action’ against genetically modified crops as finer details of the widely reported Monsanto GM study are scrutinized among experts.
Long term exposure to even relatively low levels of Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup and a genetically modified resistant crop strain could result in a ‘greatly increased’ risk of tumors’ and premature death, according to new findings in rats.
The food industry is digging deep to oppose California’s Proposition 37, which would mandate labeling of foods that contain ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The Californian ‘Right to Know’ campaign in support of labeling foods and ingredients produced using genetic engineering looks set for inclusion in the state’s November ballot, after it attracted nearly a million signatures. If enacted, what would the...
A petition calling for food manufacturers to state on labels whether their products contain genetically engineered ingredients has attracted more than 850,000 comments, claim organizers of the Just Label It campaign.
Ingredients and chemicals giant BASF has announced it will pull the plug on its European operations in genetically modified plant development due to a lack of acceptance in the market.
PepsiCo’s snacks business Frito-Lay has been accused of misleading consumers by making all-natural claims on its products which also contain genetically modified corn and vegetable oils.
Monsanto has announced a new wheat breeding program with Australian wheat breeding firm InterGrain, which could lead to drought-resistant wheat and improved end-use qualities, the companies said.
Monsanto’s CEO has said that the agricultural giant is on the verge of a technology explosion that it hopes will double yields in corn, soybeans and cotton by 2030, helping to meet increased demand for the crops.
Monsanto’s announcement of increased research into genetically modified wheat has been welcomed by major US wheat industry players, adding fuel to the ongoing debate about the crop’s commercialization.
A group of organizations from the US, Canada and Australia has released a joint statement expressing their opposition to wheat industry plans to commercialize genetically modified (GM) wheat.
Friends of the Earth International has accused biotech firms of using genetically modified crops to feed profits instead of the world’s poor while increasing costs for US farmers, in a report released Tuesday.
The US remains the global leader in the production of genetically modified crops but questions remain over their ability to address promises of enhanced yields and nutrition, according to a new report.
Consumption of genetically modified corn may lead to infertility, according to a new study commissioned by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, and carried out by Veterinary University Vienna.
