Poll shows support for GM labeling

A large majority of Americans support the labeling of genetically modified food, whether they care about eating it or not.

According to an Associated Press-GfK poll, 66 percent of Americans favor requiring food manufacturers to put labels on products that contain genetically modified organisms, or foods grown from seeds engineered in labs. Only 7 percent are opposed to the idea and 24 percent are neutral.

Fewer Americans say genetically modified ingredients are important to them when judging whether a food is healthy. About four in 10 said the presence of such ingredients was very or extremely important to them.

That's higher than the share who say it's important to know whether a food is organic, and about on par with the share saying they consider the amount of protein in a food an important factor.

For some, the debate over GMOs is about the food system. Andrew Chan of Seattle said he strongly favors labeling genetically modified ingredients, but those ingredients themselves aren't most important to him. As a parent, he said his top concern is the abundance of processed foods.

"GMO ingredients aren't the number one thing, but more than likely within a processed food I'd find something that is a genetically modified product," said the 41-year-old Chan.

Genetically modified seeds are engineered to have certain traits, such as resistance to herbicides or certain plant diseases. Most of the country's corn and soybean crop is now genetically modified, with much of that becoming animal feed. Modified corn and soybeans are also made into popular processed food ingredients such as corn oil, cornstarch, high-fructose corn syrup and soybean oil.

Currently, the federal Food and Drug Administration doesn't require labeling of genetically modified foods, saying those on the market are safe. Consumer advocates backing labeling say shoppers have a right to know what is in their food, arguing not enough is known about their effects.

The AP-GfK poll comes as several states have weighed in on the issue. Vermont became the first state to require labels for genetically modified foods last year, passing a law in May that will take effect in mid-2016 if it survives legal challenges. Maine and Connecticut passed laws before Vermont, but those measures don't take effect unless neighboring states follow suit.