It’s highly probable that you consume foods and food products containing ingredients derived from genetically modified (GMO) crops. Many GMO crops are processed into common ingredients in the American diet, including cornstarch, corn syrup, corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and granulated sugar. A limited selection of fresh fruits and vegetables are also available as GMO varieties, such as potatoes, summer squash, apples, papayas, and pink pineapples. While GMOs are present in a significant portion of our food supply, the majority of GMO crops grown in the United States are actually utilized as animal feed. This leads to the question, “Is Corn A Gmo Food?” and the answer is complex.
To help consumers identify foods containing GMO ingredients, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains a list of bioengineered foods available globally. Furthermore, the “bioengineered” label is now appearing on certain food products due to the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard.
GMOs in the Food System
Identifying GMOs in Your Diet
Downloadable PDF Guide: Where Can You Find GMOs
Prevalence of GMO Corn and Other Crops in the U.S.
Downloadable Infographic: What GMO Crops are Grown and Sold in the U.S.?
GMO Corn and Other Common GMO Crops in the United States
While the variety of GMO crops cultivated in the United States is limited, certain GMOs constitute a substantial proportion of total crop production. This includes soybeans, corn, sugar beets, canola, and cotton.
According to 2020 data, GMO soybeans accounted for 94% of all soybeans planted, GMO cotton comprised 96% of all cotton planted, and a staggering 92% of corn planted was GMO corn.
In 2013, GMO canola represented 95% of canola planted, while GMO sugar beets made up 99.9% of all sugar beets harvested.
The majority of GMO plants are processed into ingredients used in other food products. For example, cornstarch is often made with GMO corn, and sugar is commonly produced from GMO sugar beets. This brings us back to the central question: is corn a GMO food and if so, how prevalent is it?
Focus on Corn: A Major GMO Crop
Corn: Corn holds the title of the most commonly grown crop in the United States, and a significant portion of it is genetically modified. The primary purposes of genetic modification in corn are to confer resistance to insect pests or tolerance to herbicides. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn is a GMO variety engineered to produce proteins toxic to specific insect pests but harmless to humans, pets, livestock, and other animals. These proteins are similar to those used by organic farmers for insect pest control and do not harm beneficial insects like ladybugs. GMO Bt corn reduces the need for insecticide spraying while effectively preventing insect damage. While a substantial quantity of GMO corn is used in processed foods and beverages, a large proportion is used as feed for livestock, such as cows, and poultry, such as chickens. This makes it clear that the answer to “is corn a GMO food” is largely yes, though it depends on the specific product and its intended use.
Soybean: The majority of soybeans grown in the United States are GMO soy. Most GMO soy is utilized as animal feed, primarily for poultry and livestock, and in the production of soybean oil. It also serves as a source of ingredients (lecithin, emulsifiers, and proteins) in processed foods.
Cotton: GMO cotton was developed to resist bollworms and played a key role in revitalizing the Alabama cotton industry. In addition to providing a reliable source of cotton for the textile industry, GMO cotton is used to produce cottonseed oil, which is used in packaged foods and in many restaurants for frying. GMO cottonseed meal and hulls are also incorporated into animal feed.
Potato: Certain GMO potatoes were engineered to resist insect pests and disease. Furthermore, some GMO potato varieties have been developed to resist bruising and browning, which can occur during packaging, storage, and transportation, or even when cut in the kitchen. While browning does not affect the quality of the potato, it often results in unnecessary food waste due to the mistaken belief that browned food is spoiled.
Papaya: In the 1990s, ringspot virus disease decimated Hawaii’s papaya crop, threatening the entire papaya industry. A GMO papaya variety, known as the Rainbow papaya, was created to resist ringspot virus. This GMO saved papaya farming on the Hawaiian Islands.
Summer Squash: GMO summer squash exhibits resistance to certain plant viruses. While squash was among the first GMOs introduced to the market, it is not widely cultivated.
Canola: GMO canola is primarily used in the production of cooking oil and margarine. Canola seed meal can also be used in animal feed. Canola oil is incorporated into many packaged foods to improve food consistency. Most GMO canola varieties are resistant to herbicides, enabling farmers to more easily control weeds in their fields.
Alfalfa: GMO alfalfa is primarily used as feed for cattle, particularly dairy cows. Most GMO alfalfa is resistant to herbicides, allowing farmers to spray crops to protect them against destructive weeds that can reduce alfalfa production and diminish the nutritional quality of the hay.
Apple: A limited number of GMO apple varieties have been developed to resist browning after being cut. This helps to reduce food waste, as many consumers mistakenly believe that brown apples are spoiled.
Sugar Beet: Sugar beets are used to produce granulated sugar. More than half of the granulated sugar packaged for grocery store shelves is derived from GMO sugar beets. Because GMO sugar beets are resistant to herbicides, their cultivation helps farmers control weeds in their fields.
Pink Pineapple: The GMO pink pineapple was developed to have pink flesh through increased levels of lycopene. Lycopene is naturally present in pineapples and is the pigment responsible for the red color of tomatoes and the pink color of watermelons.
The Impact of GMOs on Animals Consuming GMO Crops
Over 95% of animals raised for meat and dairy production in the United States consume GMO crops. Independent studies have demonstrated that there is no discernible difference in the health and safety of animals fed GMO versus non-GMO diets. The DNA present in GMO food does not transfer to the animal consuming it. This means that animals consuming GMO food do not themselves become GMOs. If this were the case, an animal would inherit the DNA of every food it consumed, regardless of whether it was GMO or not. In other words, cows do not transform into the grass they eat, and chickens do not become the corn they eat.
Similarly, the DNA from GMO animal feed does not end up in the meat, eggs, or milk produced by the animal. Research has shown that foods such as eggs, dairy products, and meat derived from animals fed GMO diets are equivalent in nutritional value, safety, and quality to foods derived from animals fed exclusively non-GMO diets.
For more information, explore GMO Crops and Food for Animals.
Ensuring the Safety of Animal Feed
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) serves as the primary regulatory agency responsible for ensuring the safety of both GMO and non-GMO animal feed. This responsibility is managed by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. The FDA mandates that all animal feed, mirroring regulations for human food, be safe for animal consumption, produced under sanitary conditions, free from harmful substances, and accurately labeled.
GMO Animals in the Food Supply
Yes, there are GMO animals in the food supply. The FDA has approved the sale of AquAdvantage Salmon to consumers. AquAdvantage Salmon has been genetically modified to achieve a faster growth rate. The FDA has also approved modifications in the GalSafe pig for human consumption and potential therapeutic applications. The GalSafe pig was developed to be free of detectable alpha-gal sugar on its cell surfaces. People with Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) may experience allergic reactions to alpha-gal sugar found in red meat (e.g., beef, pork, and lamb). The FDA has determined that food derived from AquAdvantage Salmon and GalSafe pigs is as safe and nutritious as food derived from non-GMO salmon and pigs.
Beyond Food: Other Applications of GMOs
While the term “GMO” often evokes thoughts of food, the techniques employed in creating GMOs also play a crucial role in the development of certain medicines. Genetic engineering, the process used to create GMOs, was initially used to produce human insulin, a medication used to treat diabetes. Medicines developed through genetic engineering undergo a rigorous FDA approval process. All medicines must demonstrate safety and efficacy before being approved for human use. GMOs also find applications in the textile industry. Certain GMO cotton plants are used to create cotton fiber, which is then used to manufacture fabrics for clothing and other materials.
How GMOs Are Regulated in the United States
In conclusion, the question “is corn a GMO food” is largely answered in the affirmative, as a substantial portion of corn grown in the US is genetically modified, primarily to resist pests or tolerate herbicides. While GMO corn finds its way into various processed foods, a significant amount is also used as animal feed, highlighting the widespread impact of GMOs on our food system.
