After years of pressure and complaints from activist groups and consumers, General Mills announced that it will stop using genetically modified ingredients to make Cheerios. While most of General Mills’ ingredients have never included genetically modified organisms (GMOs), consumers’ concerns led to a change in the famous Cheerios recipe, according to usatoday.com.
GMOs are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology. They are also found in nearly 80 percent of foods in the United States, according to nongmoproject.org. Nevertheless, many Americans are unaware of GMOs’ prevalence.
“I always thought Cheerios used natural ingredients, so I am really surprised that they contain genetically modified ingredients,” Convent of the Sacred Heart junior Emma Church said.
A poll from The New York Times recently reported that 53 percent of consumers would not knowingly buy genetically modified food.
“I think that all companies should get rid of GMOs if they are not good for you,” junior Lily Pillari said.
Usatoday.com reports that there is little proof that GMOs in food actually cause health problems. But, as a safety precaution, the company has decided to replace a few of their genetically modified ingredients. The most significant change is the switch from beet sugar to pure cane sugar.
General Mills is not the first food label to make changes and become more aware of GMO-ridden products. Recently, Chipotle Mexican Grill announced plans to get rid of all GMOs in their food. Furthermore, Whole Foods will become the first national grocery chain to require all food products to list the GMOs found in each food.
To help advertise this change, General Mills is using social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook.
“I think it is really smart to use social media to advertise the change in Cheerios,” junior Alexa DiTursi said.
– Julia Perry, Arts and Entertainment Editor