In the News: January 1st, New GMO Labeling Law Goes Into Effect! The Problem with Carrageenan!

Posted on December 21, 2021

Beware of the New GMO Labeling Law!

Just the fact that they chose to call it the “Bioengineered (BE) Food Labeling Law” as opposed to the “GMO Food Labeling Law” says a lot! The public

knows of the term “Genetically Modified Organisms” or “GMO’s”, because that is the name that has been used in the news for years. If you were to ask someone about GMO’s, they would know what you are talking about, but if you ask someone what a BE food is, most people would have no idea.

On January 1, 2022, the federal Bioengineered (BE) Food labeling law will go into effect. Under the BE labeling law, certain food

products that are made with GMOs will require a BE label. However, the law only requires those products with detectable modified genetic material to disclose the presence of GMO’s and because there are no tests for some of the newer GMO techniques, such as CRISPR, TALEN, and RNAi, they are excused from the labeling law.

This law is deceptive and is designed to keep consumers in the dark. There is no consistency in the look of the label, companies can decide how they want to label it. They can even choose to put a QR code with a caption ” “Scan here for more food information.” “which is discriminatory, because it requires a person to have a smart phone. And I haven’t even touched on all the loop holes in the law!

This is the USDA’s current List of Bioengineered Foods:

Alfalfa
Arctic™ Apple
Canola
Corn
Cotton
Bt Eggplant
Ringspot virus-resistant Papaya
Pink Pineapple
Potato
AquAdvantage^® Salmon
Soybean
Summer squash
Sugarbeet

Yet, if an animal you were eating was fed GMO grain, that would not need to be labeled. All animal feed, pet food and personal care products are exempt from the labeling law, as well as meat, poultry, eggs, and multi-ingredient products in which meat, poultry or eggs are the first ingredient listed, (even if other ingredients with detectable modified genetic material are included in the product.) It’s a complete scam, and it was pushed through by biotech industry-friendly legislators as an effort to stifle mandatory state GMO labeling laws such the law that passed in Vermont in 2014.

It is infuriating!!

Why Carrageenan is So Bad!

Carrageenan is a problematic ingredient propped up by a well-oiled public relations machine. The Cornucopia Institute has long compiled scientific studies that raise troubling concerns

about the consumption of food-grade carrageenan. Although referred to as a “natural” ingredient, carrageenan is linked to gastrointestinal inflammation and disease, including higher rates of colon cancer, in research using laboratory animals. Yet carrageenan is still found in many foods, including some certified organic foods. And you may not even realize you’re eating it. When used as a “processing aid,” carrageenan is often not listed on the ingredient panel.Cornucopia’s updated Buyer’s Guide to Avoiding Carrageenan in Organic Food is your tool to increased transparency. Use the guide’s search bar to look up your favorite products, such as ice cream, to determine the organic products that either contain or are free of carrageenan. Or simply search by brand to check the companies that are routinely on your shopping list.[While Cornucopia considers only organic items, carrageenan is commonly used in non-organic products, including rotisserie chicken, deli meats, plant-based beverages, dairy, and processed foods. It’s even used to clarify beer, although the law does not require ingredients to be listed on alcoholic beverages.]

LEARN MORE ABOUT CARRAGEENAN

Some resources:

What Organic Eaters Need to Know About Carrageenan
What’s the Controversy Over Carrageenan?
What Research Says About Carrageenan
Carrageenan: New Studies Reinforce Link to Inflammation, Cancer and Diabetes (2016 Report)

Your advocacy really does work! Since Cornucopia’s initial report was published in 2013, several companies, including Stonyfield Farm, Julie’s Ice Cream, Eden Foods, Orgain, So Delicious, and Annie’s, have removed carrageenan from their product lines. Clover Sonoma and Horizon have committed to removing it from their products and have reformulated many already.

In our Guide to Avoiding Carrageenan in Organic Food, we share contact information for companies that still use carrageenan. We encourage you to use your voice. Urge these companies to reformulate their products to remove carrageenan, then drop us a line to let us know which brand you contacted and whether they responded.