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The 180

An argument against labelling GMO foods

News that a genetically-modified apple was approved in Canada started a conversation on our show about labelling of GMO foods. In this interview, the Executive Editor of Scientific American explains why his journal has taken a stand against mandatory labels on GMO produce.
CBC News ·
When GMO labelling was put to a ballot in Washington state, major U.S. food and biotech companies spent millions of dollars fighting the measure. A similar spending spree happened in 2014 in Colorado and Oregon in the lead up to the American midterm election. (Jason Redmond/Reuters)
The 1807:37An argument against labelling GMO foods

When the news was released that a genetically modified "Arctic Apple" had been approved for the Canadian market, it rekindled a debate about whether GMO's should be labelled so consumers are clear about the products' origins.

Lucy Sharratt is the coordinator of Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. She told us she believes that food products that have been genetically modified should be required to carry labels to allow the public to make informed purchases in the produce aisle.

In this episode we hear from Fred Guterl, executive director of Scientific American, about why his journal has taken a stand against mandatory labelling for GMO products.

The argument for having them is transparency. The effect of having them is that no one would buy (GMO foods) anymore. It would be like having a skull and crossbones on food and that is unfair, inaccurate really.- Fred Guterl, Scientific American

"The argument for having them is transparency. The effect of having them is that no one would by (GMO foods) anymore. It would be like having a skull and crossbones on food and that is unfair, inaccurate really," he says. "The technology is not dangerous."

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