Food Labels: Separating Fact from Fiction

Dr. Ruth MacDonald, chair of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University, is passionate about combating myths and misinformation around today’s food system.

By Mackenzie Felt | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

Walking into a grocery store can be overwhelming. Between flashy labels and many shelf options, the anxiety can be real. Mix that with social media platforms suggesting what to feed children and daytime television selling the latest fad diet, and it’s a recipe for confusion.

However, the experts on food sources typically don’t have 50,000 followers on Instagram or a daily talk show. Instead, they have a family just like yours and produce food with safety and quality always top-of-mind. The food in grocery stores often includes products grown and raised by Iowa’s farmers. For example, more than 4,000 products you stroll past in the aisles contain Iowa field corn.

With information coming from so many sources, it is understandable consumers face uncertainty up and down the grocery aisles. Dr. Ruth MacDonald specializes in helping consumers separate facts from fiction about the preservatives, GMOs and hormones in the products found at grocery stores.

MacDonald is the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition Chair at Iowa State University, and she is passionate about combating myths and misinformation around today’s food system. MacDonald sat down with the Iowa Food & Family Project to answer common questions she receives from consumers.

What is a GMO and why were they created?

GMO is an abbreviation for Genetically Modified Organism, a term that defines an organism (a generic term for a living entity, such as a plant, animal, microorganism or yeast) that has been modified using genetic technology developed in the 1990s. The technology is also called bioengineering. Some of the first applications of bioengineering included creating a yeast that could synthesize the protein insulin. Using yeasts to make insulin made this life-saving drug widely available for people with Type I diabetes. Before developing this bioengineered form of insulin, the only source was to extract insulin from the pancreases of pigs.

In agriculture, bioengineering was first used to develop crops that were resistant to a common herbicide, glyphosate, which is commercially sold as Roundup®. A naturally occurring gene was found in some plants that allowed them to survive the herbicide. This gene was inserted into the seed to grow corn and soybeans, which allowed the farmer to use glyphosate when the plants were emerging – the weeds died, but the crop survived. By giving the crop this advantage, they grew faster and farmers used less herbicide. These herbicide-tolerant crops – corn, soybeans, cotton, alfalfa and others – were successful and rapidly adopted by farmers.

What crops contain GMOs?

There are 11 commercially available GMO crops in the U.S. and include soybeans, corn (field and sweet), canola, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beets, summer squash, papaya, apples and potatoes.

Are GMO foods safe to feed my family?

Yes. There is no evidence that GMO foods are in any way harmful to humans or animals. The Food & Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and many prominent medical organizations have publicly stated that GMO foods are safe.

Are GMO foods labeled?

The Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard was passed into law in 2016, but food companies have until January 2022 to comply. The standard will require foods that are in the List of Bioengineered Foods to provide a label on the food package. The law allows manufacturers to use a symbol to indicate if the food is bioengineered or contains ingredients derived from bioengineering.

Do GMOs impact allergies or cause cancer?

In the 25 years since GMOs were introduced in the U.S., there has never been any confirmed case of an allergic reaction to GMO food. Before a GMO can be released into the food supply, careful studies are done to ensure it will not cause any allergic reactions. There is no evidence that bioengineered foods can or will cause cancer.

If livestock consumes genetically modified grain, will GMOs be in beef, pork, turkey or other proteins?

Absolutely not. The genetic traits are digested and metabolized just like all the other DNA the animal is consuming – remember, all living things have DNA. If you eat a carrot and consume the DNA in that carrot – your body does not absorb carrot DNA; it gets broken down into its basic parts.

Are organic foods healthier than traditional foods?

The foods produced under organic standards are not healthier or safer than foods produced using conventional farming practices. Organic foods are produced under guidelines established in 1990 for the Organic Standard that define the herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers that can be used on plants and how animals are to be raised. One example often cited is organic milk is safer for children because it does not have hormones or antibiotics. The fact is that by law ALL milk sold in the U.S. must be tested and free of contaminating hormones or antibiotics. Organic milk and conventionally produced milk are equally safe for children.

Is high fructose corn syrup a fake sugar, and does it cause obesity?

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is not a fake sugar. It is chemically the same as table sugar. Our bodies metabolize HFCS the same as sugar. Because HFCS and sugar are the same, both are a source of calories (exactly the same number of calories!). Therefore, consuming a lot of sugar-containing foods, either table sugar or HFCS, can contribute to weight gain.

Everyone says you shouldn’t eat it unless you can pronounce the ingredients on the label. Do you agree?

This is nonsense and tries to make science bad. All chemicals have names that may be unfamiliar to people who are not scientists. The name has nothing to do with making it safe or not. For example, arachidonic acid sounds like a poisonous spider – but it is just an essential fat needed for our brains. Federal law requires labels to accurately define what is in the food – using the correct chemical name.

What guidance would you give when selecting the best foods to feed my family? What are things I should understand on labels?

First, it is time to stop being fearful of the food supply. Americans enjoy the safest, most abundant and diverse food system on the planet. Federal agencies continuously monitor food safety.

The best advice for a healthy diet is to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These are prepared by scientists and approved by agriculture and human services’ secretaries every five years. The 2020-2025 version was just published and provides a wealth of information about food and healthy lifestyles.

The food in grocery stores often includes products or ingredients grown and raised by Iowa’s farmers.

We want to hear what piques your curiosity about agriculture! Share your thoughts at iowafoodandfamily.com/magazine/feedback

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