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Most genetically modified foods available on the market in the United States are considered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be “substantially equivalent” to their conventionally produced counterparts. This means that the genetically modified food contains the same nutritional value, allergens, and nearly the same composition and other characteristics as the conventional crop. In the United States, genetically modified foods that are substantially equivalent to their conventional counterparts are not required to be labeled or otherwise identified as genetically modified products.

However, in many other parts of the world (e.g., the European Union, Japan), all genetically modified foods must be identified as such on their labels. Because of this, exports of genetically modified foods from the United States to these countries have been banned.