All Commercial Wheat is Non-GMO

“In Europe I can eat all the bread and pasta I want and feel fine.”

I hear this statement constantly when discussing food intolerances with friends. But I want to probe the question, why? Why do some people believe they feel better eating breads and pastas in Europe? What are the Europeans doing differently from the United States?

For starters, I want to dispel this idea that European wheat is easier to digest because the European Union doesn’t allow Genetically Modified (GM) flour to be commercially grown or imported. FUN FACT: There is no GM wheat or barley grown or sold commercially in the United States either. 

Furthermore, US farmers have fought hard against GM wheat because of concern that it would put a damper on the export market for US-grown wheat. Top buyers of U.S. wheat, including Mexico, the Philippines and Japan, and have not approved the use of HB4 wheat; a genetically modified, drought resistant wheat, developed by Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp, based in Argentina. HB4 wheat was developed to resist drought and field studies were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2022.

Fortunately for US consumers, the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law was passed by Congress in July of 2016, directing USDA to establish this national mandatory standard for disclosing foods that are or may be bioengineered. Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to do their due diligence and read all food labels.

As for my position on the subject, I remain skeptical about the potential exposure of GM foods into the environment and on public health. Insufficient time has lapsed to really understand the affects. I will continue to only use the best quality ingredients and ORGANIC wheat available.

Additionally, for those who are convinced EU wheat is somehow healthier than US grown wheat, further research is needed because EU imported an average 508,907 metric tonnes of US grown wheat from 2020 - 2025. Could it be that perhaps whole wheat is not the culprit of our gastrointestinal ailments?

Instead we should take a closer look at the over enrichment of commercially processed wheat, their potential dangers, and better understand the difference between whole wheat vs. wheat.