feed your mind

Only a few types of GMO Potato

crops1 are grown in the Papaya

GMO Crops
United States, but some
of these GMOs make up
a large percentage of the
crop grown (e.g., soybeans,
corn, sugar beets, canola,
Some GMO potatoes2 were developed to resist insect
pests and disease. In addition, some GMO potato By the 1990s, ringspot virus
varieties have been developed to resist bruising and disease had nearly wiped
browning that can occur when potatoes are out Hawaii’s papaya crop,
packaged, stored, and transported, or even cut in and in the process, almost
your kitchen. While browning does not change the destroyed the papaya
quality of the potato, it often leads to food being industry in Hawaii. A GMO

in the U.S.
and cotton). Most GMO
plants are used to make
ingredients that are then
used in other food products.
For example, cornstarch
can be made with GMO
corn and sugar can be made
with GMO sugar beets.
unnecessarily thrown away because people papaya,3 named the
mistakenly believe browned food is spoiled. Rainbow papaya, was
created to resist ringspot
SUMMER Squash virus. This GMO saved
papaya farming4 on
GMO summer squash is resistant to some plant the Hawaiian Islands.
viruses. Squash was one of the first GMOs on the
market, but it is not widely grown.
WHOLE PRODUCE Apple
PINK PINEAPPLE A few varieties of GMO
apples were developed to
The GMO pink pineapple was developed to have pink resist browning after being
flesh by increasing the levels of lycopene. Lycopene is cut. This helps cut down on
naturally found in pineapples, and it is the pigment that food waste, as many
makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink. consumers think brown
apples are spoiled.

Canola Soybean
GMO canola is used mostly to make Most soy grown in the United States is
cooking oil and margarine. Canola seed GMO soy. Most GMO soy is used for
Sugar Beet meal can also be used in food for animals.
Canola oil is used in many packaged
food for animals, predominantly poultry
and livestock, and making soybean oil.
Alfalfa
Sugar beets are used foods to improve food consistency. Most It is also used as ingredients (lecithin, GMO alfalfa is primarily
to make granulated GMO canola is resistant to herbicides emulsifiers, and proteins) in processed used to feed cattle—mostly
sugar. More than half and helps farmers to more easily control foods. In 2020, GMO soybeans made dairy cows. Most GMO
the granulated sugar weeds in their fields. In 2013, GMO up 94%1 of all soybeans planted. alfalfa6 is resistant
packaged for grocery canola made up 95%5 of canola planted. to herbicides, allowing
store shelves is made farmers to spray the crops
from GMO sugar to protect them against
beets. Because GMO CORN Cotton destructive weeds that can
sugar beets are reduce alfalfa production
Most GMO corn is created to resist insect pests GMO cotton was created
resistant to herbicides, and lower the nutritional
or tolerate herbicides. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn to be resistant to bollworms
growing GMO sugar quality of the hay.
PA C K A G E D F O O D S is a GMO corn that produces proteins that are toxic and helped revive the Alabama ANIMAL FOOD
beets helps farmers
to certain insect pests but not to humans, pets, cotton industry. GMO cotton
control weeds in their
livestock, or other animals. These are the same types not only provides a reliable source
fields. In 2013, GMO
of proteins that organic farmers use to control insect of cotton for the textile industry,
sugar beets made up
pests, and they do not harm beneficial insects, such it is also used to make cottonseed
99.9%5 of all sugar
as ladybugs. GMO Bt corn reduces the need oil, which is used in packaged foods
beets harvested.
for spraying insecticides while still preventing and in many restaurants for frying.
insect damage. While a lot of GMO corn goes into GMO cottonseed meal and hulls are
processed foods and drinks, most of it is used to also used in food for animals. In
feed livestock, like cows, and poultry, like chickens. 2020, GMO cotton made up 96%1
In 2020, 92%1 of corn planted was GMO corn. of all cotton planted.
July 2022 — 1

Get more information about GMOs at www.fda.gov/feedyourmind.

Sources:
1
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/adoption-of-genetically-engineered-crops-in-the-us.aspx
2
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/13_02201p_dea.pdf
3
https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/490739
4
https://www.usda.gov/topics/biotechnology/biotechnology-frequently-asked-questions-faqs
5
https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/81176/eib-163.pdf?v=42697
6
https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2017/may/genetically-modified-alfalfa-production-in-the-united-states/

July 2022 — 2