U.S.

General Mills Announces No More GMOs In Original Cheerios

The company blogged about the change on Thursday saying the original Cheerios are basically the same.

General Mills Announces No More GMOs In Original Cheerios
General Mills
SMS

General Mills is jumping on the GMO-free bandwagon, now offering its original Cheerios cereal without genetically modified organisms.

The company blogged about the change on Thursday saying the product is basically the same with the exception of how the company sources and handles certain ingredients in its plants. (Via General Mills)

The blog also mentioned this move was never about pressure or safety.

“There’s broad consensus that food containing GMOs is safe but we decided to move forward with this in response to consumer demand. That is a quote from the company.” (Via Fox Business)

But that line isn’t sitting well with the managing director of global agriculture research at CLSA, who told CNBC he thinks it’s a risky move.

“Are we really giving them what they want? We’re giving them what people are telling them what they want. I think if we’re going to add the GM-free label, we also need to add a little note that says we’re probably going to be using a lot more pesticides on American farms.”

NBC spoke with a professor of applied economics at Cornell University who says the whole change will probably help the company just make more money.

“I think it’s totally a marketing move. They’re playing to an audience that, sort of bluntly, has an irrational fear of GMOs.”

If you’re not familiar with genetically modified organisms, they are plants or animals whose cells have been altered to, for example, ward off insects. They have been part of our food for the past two decades. (Via YouTube / honeymashblog)

GMOs are regulated by the FDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. USA Today reports GMO critics say changing the food could impact its nutritional value.

General Mills isn’t the only company acknowledging GMOs in its products. Whole Foods Market said it will label all items containing genetically modified ingredients by 2018.