ELWOOD — In an effort to make its products as safe as possible, Elwood-based Red Gold says it won't use plant products that contain genetically modified organisms, nor will it use industrial chemical BPA in the lining of its cans.
Of the 93 products produced by the tomato product production company, 90 will now carry a label identifying them as not containing GMOs or using liners with bisphenol A, or BPA.
Red Gold products are sold across the country and can be found in most chain grocery stores.
“Everything we do as a company is guided by our mission to provide the freshest, best-tasting tomato products in the world,” said Colt Reichart, fourth-generation family owner of Red Gold.
The decision comes because many Americans are wary of genetically modified products, according to a poll conducted by ABC and TNS Intersearch in June 2015. Nearly two-thirds of people don’t believe GMOs are safe to eat and 93 percent of those polled believe companies should be required to label GMOs.
However, many scientists agree that modifying crops can help to make them more resistant to insects and disease, which means larger harvests and cheaper food.
BPA is an industrial chemical used in plastics, which some research has shown can leach out of plastic containers and into food, according to the Mayo Clinic. Possible effects from BPA can include brain and behavioral changes and damage to fetuses and young children.
However, more research is required to determine under what circumstances BPA can leach out of plastic containers, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
Reichart said the company’s decision to cut GMO and BPA products from production was made in order to make sure its products are as pure as possible.
“Proving the pure goodness of our products was a logical thing to do as a business, and honors the trust that families place in us each time they use our products,” he said.
What's this means?
BPA, or bisphenol A, is an industrial chemical used in plastics and resin that some research has shown can leach out of plastic containers and into food.
GMO, or a genetically modified organism, means an organism's DNA was changed to make it different, often to make it less susceptible to disease or contain more usable parts.