Consumers hoping to avoid genetically modified foods will soon have an easier time at the grocery store: Whole Foods Market, the nation’s largest natural and organic food retailer, has announced that all products sold in its stores must indicate whether they contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by 2018. “We’re responding to our customers, who have consistently asked us for GMO labeling, and we are doing so by focusing on where we have control: in our own stores,” says Walter Robb, Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, in a statement. The move could have implications far beyond the doors of the grocery purveyor: Approximately 90% of all corn, soy, and canola grown in the US is genetically modified—meaning the plants have been tweaked to withstand high levels of pesticides that kill weeds and insects. Genetically modified sugar beets, which yield most of the sugars added to processed foods, comprise 95% of the US sugar beet crop. In fact, genetically altered ingredients like these are present in over 80% of all processed foods. “The prevalence of GMOs in the US, paired with nonexistent mandatory labeling, makes it very difficult for retailers to source non-GMO options and for consumers to choose non-GMO products,” Robb notes. The only guarantee is to buy foods that are certified organic, which can be pricey, or to scour for products certified by the Non-GMO Project, a nonprofit that tests various foods for the presence of GMOs. Unfortunately, the stringent certification isn’t common. Despite the ubiquity of GMO foods, consumers intent on avoiding them may have good reason to do so: Pesticides that GMOs are bred to resist have been linked to a handful of health problems, including food allergies, developmental disorders, and even some cancers. The products have also been linked to environmental concerns, including increased mortality rates among monarch butterflies and other insects. Whole Foods Market’s labeling requirements, which will include dairy and meats as well as packaged foods, will be rolled out gradually over the next five years. Meanwhile, the use of pesticides is expected to continue increasing: A recent study from Washington State University concluded that pesticide use has risen 7% since 1996, and the rampant use of these chemicals has led to the proliferation of “superweeds” and “superbugs” that no longer die when exposed to moderate quantities of these toxins. More from Prevention: Eat Organic, On A Budget Questions? Comments? Contact Prevention’s News Team.
