Tag: GMO
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Florida Federal Courts Allow “Natural” Pretzel Challenges to Continue
A Florida federal court has granted in part and denied in part a motion to dismiss a putative class action alleging that Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. misleadingly labels its pretzels and chips as “natural” despite containing “unnatural genetically-modified organisms (‘GMOs’) and, in many cases, other unnatural artificial and synthetic ingredients.” Barron v. Snyder’s-Lance, Inc., No. 13-62496 (S.D. Fla.,…
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U.S. Lawmakers Reintroduce Legislation Mandating GE Labeling for Food
U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) have reintroduced a proposed bill that would require the Food and Drug Administration to initiate labeling rules for foods that contain genetically engineered (GE) ingredients. “Some in the food and chemical industry say adding this very small piece of information to food…
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Atlantic Profile Questions Value of “Food Babe” Tactics
The Atlantic’s February 11, 2015, profile of blogger Vani Hari—also known as “The Food Babe”—highlights the growing rift between the scientific community and consumer activists who position themselves as dietary crusaders, despite having “no training in human metabolism, toxicology, or environmental science.” Titled The Food Babe: Enemy of Chemicals, the article by Atlantic Senior Editor…
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Consumer Reports Touts Mandatory GMO Labeling
Citing increased demand for food and beverage products that do not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as ingredients, the March 2015 issue of Consumer Reports magazine features an article intended to help consumers “sift through the facts” about the purported health and environmental effects of GMOs. The column describes recent attempts by individual states to…
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ENSSER Publishes Statement Challenging Consensus on GMO Safety
Led by the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER), a group of independent researchers has released a joint statement in Environmental Sciences Europe that challenges “recent claims of a consensus over the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).” According to the January 20, 2015, statement, “the scarcity and contradictory nature of…
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NPR Explores “Non-GMO” Label
While laws mandating disclosure of the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on food labels are debated in statehouses, independent organizations such as the Non-GMO Project are offering certification for non-GMO products. NPR tracked how a food company earns the “Verified” label from the Non-GMO Project, beginning with an Iowa-based company called FoodChain ID that…
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European Parliament Approves GMO Cultivation Regulation
Confirming a December 2014 “hand-shake” agreement, the European Parliament has reportedly approved a law giving member states the authority to regulate the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) within their borders. Until the new rules take effect in spring 2015, EU member states can limit cultivation of approved GMOs only if they present new evidence…
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New York Times Claims New GE Techniques Allow Companies to Skirt Regulation
According to a January 1, 2015, New York Times article by Andrew Pollack, the advent of new technologies has created a loophole in federal regulations for companies looking to market genetically-engineered (GE) crops. Noting that new techniques do not involve the transfer of genetic material from other species, use bacterium to insert foreign materials or…