What is a “Bioengineered” Food?
For purposes of the U.S. National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a bioengineered food as a food that contains detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques that cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature. This standard has established a mandatory disclosure for foods that are made with ingredients that contain detectable bioengineered DNA or may be sourced from bioengineered crops. Consumers will see the term “bioengineered” on some food labels in the United States as the new standard takes effect.
On packages that carry a QR code, consumers will be able to access the BE disclosure for a particular product via SmartLabel. For products that do not carry a QR code, a text statement or logo will be printed on the package.
Food products that are sold in the U.S. with ingredients containing detectable bioengineered DNA will have the following disclosure: “contains a bioengineered ingredient.”
In the U.S., food products that contain ingredients in which the modified genetic material is not detectible are not considered bioengineered even if the ingredient is derived from a bioengineered crop. To reflect that difference, products containing these ingredients will have the following disclosure: “Ingredient(s) derived from a bioengineered source.”