Edible San Francisco Winter 2012 : Page 11
edible AMUSE riculture to deregulate corn engineered to be resistant to the herbicide 2,4-D, a major component in Agent Orange. Informed consumers are asking for the right to know about the foods they’re purchasing and consuming. As the Just Label It campaign was launched, the GMO Right2Know March, a two-week, 300-mile trek from New York City to Washington, D.C., took place, during which marchers from across the world walked to the White House to demand labeling of GMO foods. Concerned Americans are also taking it to the ballot box. In California, there’s an effort to put a GMO labeling referendum before the voters in 2012. Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) recently announced legislation that would require the labeling of all foods that contain or are produced with GMO material. Your opinion matters! It’s your right to choose. Join in asking the FDA to al-low consumers the right to know what’s in our food, as well as in contacting your state or federal representatives to voice your view. Until the FDA labels GE foods, the best option to avoid them is to buy USDA Certified Organic, as the federal organic standards strictly prohibit the use of GE ingredients. Other options include looking for Non-GMO Project Verified products and purchasing unprocessed foods such as fruits and vegetables, since many pack-aged foods contain GE ingredients. Visit Just Label It on their website, www.justlabelit.org, or on Facebook and Twitter. Naomi Starkman i s a founder and the editor-in-chief of Civil Eats, a Web site which promotes critical thought about sustainable agriculture and food sys-tems. She is a food policy consultant to Consumers Union and others, and a founding board member and strategic advisor to both the Food & Environment Reporting Network and FixFood. REAL FOOD IT’S HARDER TO FIND THAN YOU THINK Most of the food consumed in this country has been chemically treated, genetically engineered, or heavily processed – and none of it requires a warning label. It’s hardly even real food anymore, and it is negatively impacting our health. Find out how you and your family can reduce your risk and make healthier choices. THE GE THREAT Do you think it's a good idea to combine the genes of plants and chemicals? Genetically engineered food is created with technology that alters the makeup of organisms we consume, such as plants and animals, by modifying them with foreign DNA or synthetic genes, often through radiation or chemicals. SOUP SOUP SOUP SOUP SOUP SOUP SOUP SOUP SOUP SOUP KETCHUP KETCHUP KETCHUP KETCHUP KETCHUP C C C C C CRACKERS CRACKERS 70% CRACKERS CRACKERS CRACKERS An estimated 70 percent of foods sold in the supermarket contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Some Genetically Engineered Food in the U.S., by Percentage: 85% 88% Corn Cotton * 91% Soybeans 95% Sugar beets INFOGRAPHIC COURTESY ECOMOM.COM *Cottonseed oil is used in many food products. The Hidden GMOs Hundreds of additives derived from GMOs are also in most ingredients we consume daily. Ingredient: What is it: Simple sugar chemically made from corn An emulsion made from soy Additive made from cornstarch Likely in your: Soft drinks, baked goods. Chocolate, ice cream. Instant soup, crackers, and snacks. Glucose Lecithin Maltodextrin of the e-book go to the Just Label It campaign. The campaign also recently launched a new video by Food, Inc. filmmaker Robert Kenner that encourages con-sumers to fight for their right to know what is in their food. The video, “Labels Matter,” is the result of collaboration between the Just Label It campaign and Kenner’s new project, FixFood, a social media platform that aims to empower Americans to take immediate action to create a more sustainable and demo-cratic food system. The drumbeat for mandatory GE labeling is getting louder as the FDA decides on GE salmon and as a proposal advances at the U.S. Department of Ag-EDIBLESANFRANCISCO.COM | 11
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