What is GMO?

A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or another organism whose genetic makeup has been modified using recombinant DNA methods (also called gene splicing), gene modification or transgenic technology.  This relatively new science creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. 

Genetic modification affects many of the products we consume on a daily basis.  As the number of GMOs available for commercial use grows every year, the Non-GMO Project works diligently to provide the most accurate, up-to-date standards for non-GMO verification.

In order for a product to be Non-GMO Project Verified, its inputs must be evaluated for compliance with our standard, which categorizes inputs into three risk levels.

High Risk

The input is derived from, contains derivatives of, or is produced through a process involving organisms that are known to be genetically modified and commercially available, such as:

Alfalfa, Canola, Corn, Cotton, Papaya, Soy, Sugar beer, Yellow summer squash/Zucchini, Animal products, Microbes, and Enzymes.

Low-Risk

The input is not derived from, does not contain derivatives of, or is not produced through a process involving organisms that are presently known to be genetically modified and commercially available.  Lentils, Spinach, Tomatoes, Sesame seeds, Avocados.

Non-Risk

The input is not derived from biological organisms and not, therefore, susceptible to genetic modification.

Though there are only several GM crops that are widely available, they are commodity crops that often get further processed into a variety of ingredients.  

These high-risk ingredients are typically present in packaged products as, Amino acids, alcohol, aspartame, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, citric acid, sodium citrate, ethanol, flavorings ("natural" and "artificial"), high-fructose corn syrup, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactic acid, maltodextrins, molasses, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sucrose, textured vegetable protein (TVP), xanthan gum, vitamins, vinegar, yeast products.

The Non-GMO Project Standard considers animal-derived products such as meat, dairy, eggs, and honey to be high risk due to the prevalence of GMOs in animal feed.  Cloned animals and their progeny are considered to be GMOs under the standard, as are the products of synthetic biology.

GMO Science

There is no scientific consensus on the safety of GMOs.  According to 2015 statements signed by 300 scientists, physicians and scholars, the claim of scientific consensus on GMOs frequently repeated in the media is “an artificial construct that has been falsely perpetuated.”

To date, there have been no epidemiological studies investigating potential effects of GMO food on human health.

Most of the research used to claim that GMOs are safe has been performed by biotechnology companies.

A comprehensive review of peer-reviewed animal feeding studies of GMOs found roughly an equal number of research groups raising concerns about genetically engineered foods and those suggesting GMOs were as safe and nutritious as conventional foods.  The review also found that most studies finding GMOs foods the same as conventional foods were performed by biotechnology companies or their associates.

How safe are GMOs?

There are clearly two very different viewpoints when it comes to the health and safety of genetically engineered food - industry leaders and scientists who support GMOs and those who believe GMOs are harmful. 

Vocal anti-GMO activists - who refer to GMO crops as "Frankenfoods" - argue that GMOs can cause environmental damage and health problems for consumers.

One such anti-GMO organization is the Center for Food Safety, which calls the genetic engineering of plants and animals potentially “one of the greatest and most intractable environmental challenges of the 21st century.”

Mary Vandewiele, co-owner of The Better Health Store, a chain of 14 health-oriented stores, says that the long-term effect of GMOs remains unknown. 

“In reading the literature, most of the science and myths are not clear and appear to be intertwined.  GMOs have clearly impacted our food industry but to what extent the damage is and can be long-term, appears to be uncertain and that is a problem.”

"Genetically modified foods have been linked to toxic and allergic reactions, sick, sterile and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals," according to the Institute for Responsible Technology, a group of anti-GMO activists.

"Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe," according to the Non-GMO Project.  "In more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs."

However, many scientific organizations believe the fear-mongering that runs through discussions of GMO foods is more emotional than factual.  "Indeed, the science is quite clear, crop improvement by the modern molecular techniques of biotechnology is safe," the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) said in a 2012 statement.

"The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the British Royal Society, and every other respected organization that has examined the evidence has come to the same conclusion, Consuming foods containing ingredients derived from GM [genetically modified] crops is no riskier than consuming the same foods containing ingredients from crop plants modified by conventional plant improvement techniques," according to the AAAS.

 Others point to the benefits of sturdier crops with higher yields.  "GM crops can improve yields for farmers, reduce draws on natural resources and fossil fuels and provide nutritional benefits," according to a statement on the website for Monsanto, the world's largest manufacturer of GMOs. 

For a comprehensive overview of the available research on GMOs, please download the report “GMO Myths & Truths” published by three leading researchers at Earth Open Source.

Source: Center for Food Safety