Bioengineered food ingredients are those that contain genetic material that has been modified through certain laboratory techniques and for which the modification could not be obtained through conventional breeding or found in nature. These modifications are made through in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) techniques, which involve the insertion of new genes into the DNA of an organism. Bioengineered foods must contain detectable modified genetic material.
The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) requires food manufacturers, importers, and certain retailers to disclose information about whether food offered for retail sale is bioengineered or uses bioengineered food ingredients. The standard defines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through in vitro rDNA techniques and for which the modification could not otherwise be obtained through conventional breeding or found in nature.
Bioengineered food ingredients include crops such as alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, eggplant, papaya, pineapple, potato, salmon, soybean, squash, and sugar beet. However, it is important to note that bioengineered food labels are for marketing purposes and do not convey any information about the health, safety, or environmental attributes of that food compared to non-bioengineered counterparts.
