Most people are aware that crops are sprayed with Roundup and other pesticides. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for people to stay clear of popcorn since it comes from corn that could easily have been treated with pesticides.
As more people look at what they’re putting into their bodies, it’s important to know how popcorn is being treated. When you want to pop some fresh popcorn for your movie theatre, convenience store, or special event, it’s important to offer peace of mind to anyone who will be munching away.
What does GMO mean?
GMO is the abbreviation for genetically modified organisms. Unfortunately, more and more of what’s being produced is GMO. It’s because of big companies like Monsanto, CropScience, and more who want to “help” the crops survive.
GMO products have been on the market in the U.S. since the 1990s. However, more and more companies are moving toward labeling their items as non-GMO or GMO-free when they are not using GMOs within their product.
The fields in which corn is grown are often treated with glyphosate. It’s a form of weed killer that is typically known by the brand name of Round-Up.
Additionally, glyphosate is sprayed on genetically engineered corn before it is harvested.
What is Popcorn Getting Sprayed With?
Popcorn comes from corn – and so, it’s to be expected that the corn is used to create popcorn is getting sprayed with some kind of pesticide.
As for what these pesticides do to human health after exposure to glyphosate, it’s unknown. The U.S. is still conducting research on this topic – and public health agencies want to distance themselves from having to answer the questions until they have more information.
However, only some of the corn being grown within the country are treated with GMOs, and there are currently no popcorns available on the market that are genetically modified, meaning that all popcorn kernels available are in fact GMO-free.
Is Treated Popcorn Bad, Then?
If you look at what many of the popcorn manufacturers advertise, they advertise that they offer non-GMO popcorn. By doing so, they are often communicating to their consumers that their popcorn is free from the use of any chemical additives.
This isn’t fully accurate, however, as no GMO popcorn has been approved so far. This means that all popcorn being produced is non-GMO by definition. Additionally, many pesticides do not qualify as GMOs, and are regularly used on popcorn crops.
Organic non-GMO popcorn means that not only is it made from non-GMO corn, but also that is made without any chemicals throughout the process – herbicides, pesticides, or anything else that some people choose to avoid in case they could have negative health effects.
How to Eat Popcorn Safely
The best way to ensure that the popcorn that you are consuming or selling to your customers is safe, is to use kernels from a trusted supplier that can stand by the production process, and only uses pesticides and chemicals that are approved by the FDA for these processes.
Contact Shumway Farms
Here at Shumway Farms, we work hard to ensure that the popcorn that we offer is not only of the highest quality, but completely safe for human consumption. This is why we strictly follow the guidance set out by the FDA, and only use products approved by them to treat and cultivate our corn.
When you begin to stock popcorn for your customers and events, knowing that’s on the kernels is important – and we have you covered by offering a safe, high-quality snack.
Contact us to learn more about our popcorn product.