A measure that would have required most foods made with genetically engineered ingredients to be labeled in California lost, according to an article from sfgate.com.
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, voters rejected the proposed labeling law by 6 percentage points. California would have been the first state in the nation to pass such an initiative.
The measure called for genetically engineered foods to include labels on the front or back of the product. Whole foods, such as sweet corn and salmon, would have required a shelf sign. Products such as alcohol, beef, eggs and dairy would have been exempt.
Supporters of Prop 37 said consumers have a right to know whether food has been genetically altered, especially when the long-term health impacts are unknown, and could include allergies to organ damage. Opponents argued that the labels would stigmatize foods that are scientifically proven to be safe and that the cost to manufacturers to create new labels or change over to non-GMO ingredients would be passed on to consumers.