What are GMO’s?? Seriously, what are thoooose??!
For those of you who don’t know, the WHO, or the World Health Organization, defines GMOs (which stands for genetically modified organisms) as “organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.”
So what does this mean?
For those of you who are dumbfounded by science, I'll break it down. Certain crops that are mass produced in the US, such as corn and soy, are having their genetic makeup changed in order to make the crops immune to diseases. This means that the companies doing this to their crops are striving for larger production and the reduced use of pesticides and herbicides in the growth of their product.
Changing the DNA of a crop in order to increase production and limit the use of pesticides sounds smart, doesn’t it? So why are places like Chipotle making this such a big deal?
Where are GMOs?
Produce such as corn and soy, which can be found in all processed food, packaged food, fast food, cereal and soft drinks are mostly all genetically modified.
If they’re everywhere, what’s the big deal?
Chipotle was the first national restaurant company to disclose the GMO ingredients in their food, and now are the first to cook only with non-GMO ingredients. So why did they make this step?
First, they want to stand out from the crowd and attract more customers, and for most consumers who don’t know what GMOs actually are believe that Chipotle is looking out for them and trying to provide them with the freshest, purest form of their food that they can find.
Chipotle’s marketing and the focus of their brand on the integrity of their food makes us all feel a little better about dreaming about a burrito bowl, their guac that is just right and their chips that have the perfect amount of salt and crunch. However, scientists are still studying the long term effects of GMOs, and although some studies have said that GMOs are safe for us to eat, most of this research was funded by companies that are in the business of GMOs and actually sell genetically modified seeds.
Many scientists are calling for independent studies to be made so that we can have a clear understanding of how GMOs could affect our health and the environment where they grow.
What now?
Since there are no real negative effects of GMOs that we know of and they are in pretty much every food you eat except Chipotle’s, I wouldn’t worry. However, the next time you sit down to another burrito, keep in mind that Chipotle is trying to have your back.
