iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — In recent years, consumers have made a huge push to understand what genetically modified foods are and how much, if any, people should eat.

The World Health Organization defines a genetically modified organism (GMOs) as an organism in which its “genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination.”

David Carter is the CEO of FoodChain ID in southeast Iowa, which provides expertise in Non-GMO verification. He spoke to ABC News about consumer attitudes when it comes to GMOs in the food supply and other food-related issues.

He argues that while many shoppers have become more mindful of GMOs in the products they consume, that is not their main focus. Carter claims shoppers are more concerned with food transparency.

He tells ABC News, “Consumers have made it very, very clear that they’re interested now, more than ever, in what’s in their food… and they’re looking for easily identifiable ways to understand what’s in their food.”

According to Carter, consumers can identify what is in their food is by looking at the front of food packages, which often list facts about production and ingredients with labels such as “USDA organic,” “Kosher,” and “Non-GMO.”

With his years working in the food industry, Carter found that the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which focuses on preventing food contamination, has also pushed consumers to learn more about how their food is sourced, prepared, and packaged.

The Non-GMO project is a non-profit organization that helps to protect Non-GMO foods. October marks the eight year of Non-GMO month, which was established by the nonprofit Non-GMO Project in 2010.

Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.