Whether food made from genetically modified organisms should be labeled or not has been a debate for a long time now. The food industry has divided over the identifying and labeling issue. The food industry that produces natural products feels like the industry using GMO should strictly label their food for the consumers to be aware of what they are buying. On the other hand, the targeted industry presumes that this will lead to stigmatization, hence fewer customers. Regardless of the reasoning behind the labeling issue, it is ethical and good to label the food as obtained from genetically modified ingredients for the sake of the consumers.
The labeling proves too hard because most people do not understand the science behind GMOs. Therefore, all companies that use this type of ingredients should educate their consumers since it leads to confusion and distrust (Lamb, 2020). Consumers of these products always feel misled, and the scientists behind GMO engineering feel misunderstood most of the time. Some companies take advantage of the situation by playing two sides without consumers’ knowledge. The companies mix the GMO ingredients and nongenetically modified ingredients to escape the need for labeling (Lamb, 2020). Educating the consumers will be the only option to move past the limited condition companies find themselves in.
Genetically modified ingredients are everywhere, and they are being used daily to produce certain foods. Most of the foods made using GMO plants or livestock do not bear labels, and people unconsciously eat these foods. Labeling the food might be challenging since the companies will have to explain the science behind the production. Although this does not have to be the reason for not doing it; on the contrary, food producers should offer education to consumers explaining the science behind GMO, hence transparency, which will ensure that people consume the foods knowingly.
Reference
Lamb, S. (2020). Why we need mandatory labeling of GMO products. STAT. Web.