But let's talk about what's really important...

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

The definition is exactly how it is defined in the law:

"Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. The technology is often called “modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”. It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between non-related species."

"Such methods are used to create GM plants – which are then used to grow GM food crops."

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/public...0questions/en/

That's exactly the definition I'm using, Rupert. Anything that doesn't occur naturally in nature. Seedless oranges, for example. Giant strawberries. The guy that covers the tassels on corn, then pollenates the corn by hand. That's genetic modification.

You can do that in a field, as has been done for thousands of years, or in a greenhouse, or in a backyard, or in a laboratory greenhouse.

So the point you brought up is: which foods should be labeled, and why? Only those who have interspecies genes? Or every other altered gene? (which is pretty much everything we eat)

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

That's exactly the definition I'm using, Rupert. Anything that doesn't occur naturally in nature. Seedless oranges, for example. Giant strawberries. The guy that covers the tassels on corn, then pollenates the corn by hand. That's genetic modification.

You can do that in a field, as has been done for thousands of years, or in a greenhouse, or in a backyard, or in a laboratory greenhouse.

So the point you brought up is: which foods should be labeled, and why? Only those who have interspecies genes? Or every other altered gene? (which is pretty much everything we eat)

There are something like 61 countries that require labels on GMOs. Natural selection that has occurred over thousands of years does not qualify as a GMO food. The definitions are very clearly written in the laws as to what would be considered a GMO food. The law in California was going to be pretty much the same as the law in Europe. When DNA is altered in a lab to produce a plant that doesn't occur naturally, I think that pretty much defines it. The law is referring to genetically engineered crops in a laboratory, not natural selection.


http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/regul...gineering.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic...ified_organism