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Am I eating genetically engineered corn?
History and prevalence of GE corn.

Yes. An estimated 40% of the US corn crop in 2003 was grown to genetically engineered corn hybrids (see map that follows). Because GE corn is not separated from conventional corn by mills and processors at harvest time, all corn-based food ingredients are very likely to have been made from a mixture of GE and non-GE corn varieties. Corn-based food ingredients include corn starch, flour, masa, corn syrup, corn oil, sweeteners, baking powder, alcohols, fillers used in pills and tablets, and some nutritional supplements, like Vitamin C. Sweet corn-- as fresh ears of corn-- is much less likely to be genetically engineered (3-5% of the US crop). Most US processors of canned sweet corn do not use GE varieties at all, and there is no GE popcorn on the market.
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Genetically Engineered Corn Production in 2003 Statewise percentage of total corn acres planted with genetically engineered corn hybrids in major corn producing states. Corn produced in these states represents 81% of US corn production. Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA

The history and prevalence of GE corn

From the start, several companies were competing fiercely to sell the first GE insect resistant corn. Ciba-Geigy and its corporate ally Mycogen were the first companies to release genetically engineered corn with Bt-based insect resistance, and the hybrid varieties were first grown by farmers in 1996. But Monsanto and Dekalb-- also racing to develop Bt corn-- held some critical patents for the new technology and had been fighting legal battles with their competitors since the mid 80's. With the release of Ciba's and Mycogen's Bt corn hybrids, a new era of lawsuits and corporate mergers was initiated. Behind the scenes, the battle lines were drawn between two competing camps. On one side, Ciba-Geigy (renamed Novartis after its 1996 merger with Sandoz Pharmaceuticals) and Mycogen. Pioneer Seeds entered the alliance when it purchased critical shares of Mycogen in 1995, and Pioneer itself was later purchased by DuPont. On the competing side, Monsanto allied itself with Dekalb through a technology-sharing agreement in early 1996 (Monsanto later bought Dekalb outright in 1998). Northrup King also entered the fray, developing its own hybrids of Bt corn using technologies licensed from Monsanto. Between these companies (and others) literally dozens of patent-infringement lawsuits were filed back and forth over the next few years. By 1999, the Bt battle had largely coalesced into a fight between Monsanto and Novartis.