Page 4 - BrockCoNewsletterJanFeb2019-FINAL.indd

Trend Watch: FOODUCATE

Picture yourself at the grocery store. You negative nutrient values. The last feature
are staring at the endless shelves of choices in the “food” section provides alternatives
for cereal, for soups, for snacks, knowing to scanning the item. These alternatives
that each one of those food items has a include items with better overall scores and
label containing important information nutrient values.
about that food product. At times it can be This app can be used universally to help
overwhelming. There is an app, Fooducate, with food choices, weight control and food
and it can help you at times like this, to make education. It is free and requires you to sign
more educated choices about what you are in using an email address and will ask a series
purchasing at the grocery store. of questions about your height, weight,
The app allows you to scan the UPC code age and activity level. These responses help
on the food package and will provide you calculate your daily calorie allowance kept
with a series of benefi cial information. Once in the health tracker section. Additional
you scan the food label, the item receives sections include: food fi nder, community,
a score or grade. It also provides you with healthy recipes and diet tidbits. This neat
the results of the score or grade by giving little universal app helps with food choices as
information on nutrients, ingredients and well as providing opportunities for education
food processing. The full nutrition label is and fun!
displayed, highlighting both positive and www.fooducate.com

Nut tion Note: GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS GMOS

Have you asked yourself the question — GMO or BE are terms, that as a consumer,

what on earth is a GMO? A GMO is an you should be informed of and have a good GMO - Genetically Modified Organism:
organism derived in a lab rather than being understanding of their meaning. The law refers to any living organisms that
found in nature. The process involves the that was passed and now enforced by the have been modifi ed and manipulated
act of adding genes or removing genes of USDA requires food production companies in a laboratory resulting in a product
a plant, animal, bacteria or virus to create to refer to foods genetically modifi ed with a that creates many combinations of
something that did not previously exist. label that states the food product has been organisms not found in nature.
Since GMOs are relatively new, the long- bioengineered (BE). It will be determined BE - Bioengineered: this is the new term
term effects of foods grown from GMOs in the upcoming months how foods will that will be regulated by the USDA to
remain unknown. be classifi ed and receive the noted labeling inform consumers of those organisms
regulations. The USDA wants to begin
It was believed that modifying seeds and engineered in a laboratory.
organisms would be benefi cial to increasing enforcing the rule on January 1, 2020,
crop production, decreasing pesticide at the same time as the FDA’s update to
usage on crops, and producing a “better” the nutrition panel takes effect so food
food product overall. However, this manufacturers will only need to change the
remains a topic for discussion and has been labels once.
controversial recently. In July 2016, Congress For now, it is important to look for the
mandated the National Bioengineered Food current label informing the consumer of
Disclosure Standard. This rule proposes a foods produced WITHOUT GMO’s. Also,
mandatory uniform national standard for if an item is classifi ed and labeled as organic,
disclosure of information to consumers. So, there have been no genetically modifi ed If you are interested in NON GMO items look for this label.
instead of referring to these food items as organisms added to the product. https://www.nongmoproject.org/
being a GMO, they have agreed to refer to https://www.usda.gov/topics/biotechnology/
them as BE, bioengineered. Enforcing of biotechnology-frequently-asked-questions-faqs
the proposed rule will fall to the USDA. https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/
Article/2018/05/03/USDA-proposed-rule-on-
GMO-labeling-raises-more-questions-than-answers