When we visit the supermarket, we often accidentally find "non-GMO" labels on food labels such as peanut oil, orange juice, vodka, etc., but according to a recent report by the International Agricultural Biotechnology Application Service (ISAAA), only 11 GMO crops are currently commercialized: corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, alfalfa, beets, papayas, pumpkin, eggplant, potatoes and apples. And these ingredients cannot appear in peanut oil, orange juice or vodka.
So how can the "non-GMO" label appear without a cause?
The "non-GMO" label has become a means for merchants to make huge profits
In fact, the first appearance was the "genetically modified" label, which was originally intended to allow consumers to better enjoy the right to know and choose. The "non-GMO" label is the spontaneous behavior of the business, and the purpose is also very simple, the business hopes to take advantage of some consumers' misunderstanding or gap in the cognition of "genetically modified" food, take advantage of their doubts about the safety of genetically modified products, imply that their products are superior, so as to sell unreasonably high prices. Such behavior by merchants will deepen consumers' misconception about foods containing genetically modified ingredients.
(Image from GMOAnswers)
The original intention was only to standardize the "GMO" label
In the face of this illegal behavior of merchants, in order to regulate the market, various governments have introduced many laws and regulations. China's regulatory authorities, the State Administration for the Supervision and Administration of the Chinese Market, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Health Commission, also issued the "Announcement on Strengthening the Labeling and Management of Edible Vegetable Oils", requiring that if the genetically modified crop and its processed products do not exist on the market, the label and instruction manual of edible vegetable oil shall not be marked with the word "non-GMO".
In fact, regulating the "GMO" label is not only a provision of national laws and regulations, but also close to the vital interests of consumers. The following three points illustrate the importance of standardizing "GMO" labeling:
Protect consumers' right to know. Consumers often understand the product through the product label or manual, so if the content of the label is not objective, then it cannot truly reflect the intrinsic quality of the product.
Protect consumers' right to choice. Since the impact of genetically modified foods on human health, ecological environment and animal and plant and microbial safety is still inconclusive internationally, when selling such foods, such foods must be labeled, so that consumers have the right to choose goods according to their own needs.
Easy to trace back to the roots. This is conducive to environmental protection departments and scientific research departments to track the potential harm of genetically modified foods. Without identification, tracking investigations cannot be implemented.
(Image from GMOAnswers)
The label of GMO is to let people better have the right to know and choose, for the marketing methods of illegal businesses, if you see it, you should report it in time to stop it. When shopping in the supermarket, you must be careful to observe, only by truly understanding GMOs can you not be deceived.
Reference:
"Merchant Non-GMO Propaganda Accused of Misleading Consumers Is Unfair Competition"
2015-01-27 02:39, this edition of the reporter/Beijing News reporter: Lin Wenlong, Beijing News, Sina Finance
http://finance.sina.com.cn/consume/puguangtai/20150127/023921403342.shtml
"New National Regulations! Peanut oil, etc. shall not be labeled "non-GMO";
2018-07-07 07:09, IT House, Sina Technology
http://tech.sina.com.cn/roll/2018-07-07/doc-ihexfcvk9481670.shtml