California voters will soon decide whether to require special labels for food made from genetically modified ingredients, in a closely watched test of consumer attitudes about the merits of genetically engineered crops.
Advocates collected more than half a million signatures supporting the stronger labeling requirements, and the secretary of state this week certified the measure for the state's November ballot.
If it passes, California would be the first state to require labeling of such a wide range of foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
The proposal would require most processed foods by 2014 to bear a label telling shoppers that they contain ingredients derived from plants whose DNA was altered with genes from other plants, animals, viruses or bacteria.
Many backers of similar legislation in more than a dozen states say the intent is to give consumers more information about what they're eating, and foster transparency and trust in the food system. Major agricultural groups and the processed food industry oppose stricter labeling, saying it risks sowing fear and confusion among shoppers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says genetically modified foods pose no greater health risks than traditional foods. Opponents of labeling rules say they could prompt hikes in packaging costs.
