What Companies Are Using Genetically Modified Organisms In Their Products?

A good source of ideas is the BBC factsheet. It presents both sides of  the argument as required for the BBC, but in the "against" section it lists several organisations such as Friends of the Earth which oppose GM, give information about GM product use and suggest ways to campaign against it.

There is a non-profit website for Australia and New Zealand hereu and for USA here. You will find useful information about genetically modified ingredients on these pages (if not actual brands), and the likelihood of those ingredients being present in foods you buy.

The first of these websites produces a "True Food Shopping Guide" - a list of brands for Australia-New Zealand that are likely to contain or not to contain GE ingredients.

The food labelling standards are, in my view, of little help. In Australia and New Zealand at least, there are too many exemptions from legally requiring labelling. So as a general rule, I watch out for the 'biggies' in the ingredient list of any food I buy: Canola, Soy and Corn. For any food with these ingredients I only buy certified organic products that are GM free (I don't buy Canola in any form or any product at all - it's machine oil, linked to macular degeneration, and in my view is worthy of being made into biodiesel).

You will need to be aware of the likely crop-source of some ingredients. Thickeners and glucose syrup may be derived from corn.

You may need to decide whether you want to buy meat and animal products where the animals may have been fed canola, soy and cottonseed meal. Many people believe those products present as many health risks as the crop/crop-products themselves, and the arguments are presented on the websites above.

Welcome to the ranks of those who squint at ingredient lists!

Anything that has corn, rice, or soy beans in it IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS 90% SURE!