USDA: Can’t We Just Scan Food to See GMO Ingredients?
Source: occupycorporatism.com
Tom Vislack, secretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) told Congress that labeling genetically modified foods (GMOs) could be unnecessary if customers “use their phones to scan special bar codes or other symbols on food packages in the grocery store” to determine the ingredients and identify GMOs.
Vislack said: “Industry could solve that issue in a heartbeat.”
This idea “could have new life as Congress becomes more involved in the issue” because certain “food companies have been receptive” to this idea.
Vislack pointed out: “A bar code seems the best way of doing it without picking sides.”
One imaginative way tech savvy consumers have been determining if their food has GMOs inside is by analyzing the PLU codes; however this technique does not work because the PLU system is voluntary and GMO manufacturers simply choose not to add that information to their labels.
Jeffrey Smith, founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) explained : “Those that run PLU-universe figured that someday some retailer might want to distinguish between a GMO and a non-GMO for price or inventory purposes. So they created a convention of 5 digits starting with an 8, just in case it catches on. But it hasn’t. No one uses that number 8 as far as we can tell. And why would they? Most Americans say they would avoid GMOs if they were labeled.”
Read the rest at: occupycorporatism.com
Editor's Note: Speaking of labeling, how about adding a variable for the Kosher Mark so we can know if we are supporting Israel or not when we buy our food.
