Everyday, more and more of our food ingredients contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). The list is always growing and it can be overwhelming trying to keep up with it.
Currently, 93% of our soybean crop and 86% of our corn is now genetically modified. Other major crops affected are canola and cottonseed oil at 93% and sugar beets, which are predominately used in the production of sucrose, is at a whopping 95%. Even something like Hawaiian Papaya is now 80% genetically modified.
Many of us are concerned about this, and in 2005, a group of natural food retailers formed the Non-GMO Project, with the goal of creating a standard meaning of what is Non-GMO. The project has been expanded now to include consumers, retailers, farmers and food manufacturers.
According to the projects study, GMO’s now make up as much as 80% of today’s conventional processed foods, and because of consumer concerns, more companies are going through non-GMO verification . You will find the Non-GMO seal featured on their products and there is a complete list of verified brands at the projects website : www.nongmoproject.org
Look for the project’s seal and support these brands to help slow, or better yet, stop the growth of food ingredients with genetically modified organisms.