The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration in December advising FDA that it intends to petition the agency to allow foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to be labeled as “natural,” based upon the creation of a voluntary federal standard. FDA’s current policy on GMOs says that they are not different from foods developed through traditional plant breeding, and thus, do not need to be labeled.
GMA has said it wants FDA “to become involved in ensuring consistent and uniform rules for foods with ‘natural’ claims and ingredients derived from biotechnology” and is working to find a national solution for GMO labeling, rather than having to navigate a patchwork of dozens of state laws for packaged food items on the grocery shelf. In GMA’s view, labeling standards would not be mandatory.
Trends indicate that consumers are increasingly seeking out what they perceive to be natural foods and products. Foods labeled as “natural” accounted for approximately 10 percent of all grocery sales in 2013, while foods and products labeled organic accounted for about 5 percent of 2013 grocery sales. Foods labeled as “organic” are not allowed to contain any GMOs, according to USDA’s organic certification. However, FDA has not developed a definition for the use of the term “natural” or its derivatives and does not now object to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.
Legislatures in at least 25 states have been considering whether ingredients containing GMOs should be labeled and if they can be labeled “natural.”
