New Survey: Awareness of GE Foods Increasing

Last week, the Organic Trade Association released results from their latest consumer survey, revealing that U.S families are becoming increasingly aware of the presence of unlabeled genetically engineered ingredients in foods in the marketplace.

Additionally, the survey revealed that “32 percent of parents who learned about GE foods in the news are significantly more likely to increase their organic purchases.”

“The USDA Organic label is basically the gold standard for consumers to be sure that the foods they are buying are produced without genetically engineered ingredients,” said OTA’s CEO and Executive Director Christine Bushway. “It is important for parents to know they have a choice when buying food for their families.”

It’s no mystery that parents want the most healthful food options for their families.  When asked the reason for their changing food purchasing habits, 30 percent expressed the desire to avoid pesticides and fertilizers, while 29 percent cited their top reason was to avoid antibiotics or synthetic hormones.

Robyn O’Brien, mother and founder of the AllergyKids Foundation, learned about the presence of genetically engineered ingredients in our food when one of her children suffered from a dangerous allergic reaction. “We realized we were pretty food illiterate when it came to processed foods,” she remembers. “Here in the U.S., these genetically engineered ingredients are not on the labels, so we’re not about to make an informed choice.”

Click here to hear more about Robyn’s personal story.

Has your family become more aware of genetically engineered ingredients in food? If so, have your shopping habits changed? Share in the comments below.