Products that are Non-GMO Project Verified must not be made with ingredients derived from crops grown with genetically engineered seed or with genetically engineered animals (including clones). Currently, only a limited number of food crops have genetically engineered varieties, but these foods make up a large part of the agricultural acres in the U.S.: canola, corn, papaya, soy, sugar beets, and summer squash. (Genetically engineered salmon is on the market in Canada. The Food and Drug Administration has approved it, but it is not currently available in the U.S.) The seal's standards require that when these crops are used in food products, every lot has to be tested for genetically modified (or engineered) organisms, or GMOs. To prevent contamination of non-GMO ingredients with GMOs, the standards require procedures for cleaning facilities and keeping GMO and non-GMO ingredients separate. A Non-GMO Project Verified seal on animal products not only means that the animals themselves weren't genetically engineered but also that the animal feed was tested for major GMO crops (such as corn and soy) and contained less than 5 percent GMO material.
OVERALL RATING
Main benefits: The food must contain no or minimal (less than 0.9 percent) genetically modified (or engineered) organisms, also called GMOs. • Manufacturers must work with independent certification companies that verify that the product meets the Non-GMO Project's standards.
Limitations: None.
Overview: The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit organization that has developed a verification system—backed by frequent testing of ingredients that could be genetically modified for consumers who wish to avoid them. GMOs—short for genetically modified (or engineered) organisms—are created by deliberately changing the genetic makeup of a plant, an animal, or another organism in a laboratory rather than through traditional breeding techniques. The majority of GMO crops currently on the market has been genetically engineered to produce their own pesticide and/or to withstand herbicides that otherwise would kill them.
Ratings Criteria
Non-GMO
Verification
Clear and enforceable rules are behind this seal. Independent certification companies approved by the Non-GMO Project assess compliance with the standards. The process includes on-site inspections, paperwork review, and regular testing of high-risk ingredients, such as corn and soybeans, to verify that the level of GMOs is below 0.9 percent for ingredients in human food and below 5 percent for ingredients in animal feed.
Behind Our Ratings: Food-Label Seals & Claims
Consumer Reports takes a detailed look at the requirements, definitions, standards, and verification procedures behind food labeling seals and claims, and distills this information into CR ratings. Our goal is to inform and empower consumers so they can act to create demand for a healthier, safer food system.