Bioengineered Food Is Expected To Increase Food Supply, Offering Reduced Cost And Longer Shelf Life To Tackle Global Food-Related Crisis

 

Bioengineered Food

Bioengineered food is made from genetic material that is modified through specific laboratory procedures, which could not be done through traditional breeding or found in nature. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set standards for labeling bioengineered foods, many consumers are still unaware of them. In many cases, food companies are able to hide bioengineered food from consumers by using highly refined ingredients that are unrecognizable. Similarly, foods that contain undetectable genetic material are not required to be labeled. However, in some cases, these foods may still be labeled as "non-genetically modified" because the ingredients have undergone such a process.

According to Coherent Market Insights, The Bioengineered Food Market was valued at US$ 31.23 Bn in 2018, and is expected to reach US$ 62.43 Bn by the end of 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period (2019 to 2027).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's new bioengineered food labeling rule will begin January 1, 2022. Beginning in 2022, companies will need to label bioengineered food if they meet labeling requirements. Currently, food companies are voluntary in labeling bioengineered foods, but this is about to change. In the meantime, shoppers can learn more about the new labeling standards. A good way to understand what bioengineered means is to compare it to the new definition of GMOs, which can be confusing.

GMOs refer to plants that are genetically modified and aren't natural. The term "GMO" was coined by the food industry to differentiate them from plants that are developed through selective breeding. Common garden strawberries, for example, were developed through a cross between two species. Scientists call such crops "genetic engineering," which is the process of creating crops using artificial genetic material. However, the new foods can trigger an immune response, which may result in an allergic reaction.

Genetically engineered food is considered bioengineered when it contains detectable amounts of DNA. If this genetic material is removed during refining, the food will not be labeled as bioengineered. Refined foods, such as corn, canola, cotton, and corn, also don't fall under the bioengineered standard. But if they're used as a food source, they must be disclosed. The FDA and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have concluded that bioengineered foods are safe. But because these foods have been rising for some time, some consumers are still avoiding them. Nonetheless, BE labels are one more tool for consumers to make decisions regarding their grocery shopping. In March 2021, Sanatech Seed in Japan launched the first ever genome-edited tomato.