Activists are trumpeting General Mills’ decision to remove GMOs from Cheerios as a watershed moment. It is; but not for the reason that they believe.
The move was relatively easy and inexpensive. Cheerios are primarily oats, and there are no GMO oats. The comparatively small amounts of sugar and cornstarch in the mix required nothing more than a switch from beet sugar to non-GMO sources. At the same time, Cheerios popularity among parents transitioning their children to solid food leaves the product more vulnerable to activist attacks, and in turn justifies a modest investment that might provide a slight marketing boost and a modicum of brand protection.
Add the ubiquitous use of GMOs today (they are found in as much as 80 percent of the processed foods we eat) – and the degree of difficulty in removing them from just about every other product on the shelves – and it’s hard to see Cheerios as a domino or test case. But it isn’t the proverbial tree falling in a forest either. When we shift the focus from General Mills motivations to the timing of its decision, we see why every food manufacturer ought to be taking notice, whether another brand-name kitchen table staple goes non-GMO or not.
Share this article
Read the full, original article: Are GMO-Free Cheerios the First Domino?
