Crops with genetically engineered herbicide tolerance? That’s yesterday’s news. Today, biotech developers are rolling out a new slate of unregulated and unlabeled GMOs.
In the natural products industry, non-GMO is in our DNA. We believe that a non-GMO food supply is essential to environmental health and ecological harmony, and we know that it's foundational to a healthy food system.
The Non-GMO Project was created by natural foods retailers who wanted to protect their shoppers right to know how their food is produced. However, the GMO landscape has changed significantly since that time. While herbicide-tolerant GMO soy derivatives and highly processed Bt corn-based ingredients have long dominated grocery store shelves, the latest GMOs include things like gene-edited animals, industrial compounds produced through synthetic biology, and newly modified fruits and vegetables.
Some new genetically modified fruits and vegetables are already on the market and there are dozens more in development. Many new GMOs made through emerging techniques enter the market unregulated and unlabeled, placing retailers in a pivotal role of preserving the non-GMO food supply and providing shoppers with the options they trust.
New Techniques, Same GMOs
Although the biotech industry may say otherwise, new products created through emerging techniques are still GMOs.
The Non-GMO Project's definition of GMO is adapted from an international panel convened on biosafety, and that definition is clear:
A GMO is a plant, animal or microorganism that has been subjected to biotechnology, which includes specific techniques used to change the organism's genetic material (i.e., DNA or RNA), or force the combination of very unrelated organisms that would not reproduce in nature.
Under the Non-GMO Project Standard, ingredients and inputs made from these organisms are considered GMO.
However, the corporations that make new GMOs would like to distance their products from the traditional, transgenic GMOs that are rejected by natural shoppers. Today, some new GMOs entering the market are accompanied by greenwashing or are described in vague and misleading terms, even though they are clearly reliant on biotechnology. Some biotech companies are taking it a step further, making self-made "non-GMO" claims for their GMO products.
The Non-GMO Project works to ensure that stakeholders in the natural products industry have the latest information on new GMOs. Here, we offer a preview of our Pocket Guide to GMOs in Produce. You can download and print copies of the pocket guide here and use our Product Finder for sourcing Non-GMO Project Verified fruit and vegetables.
GMOs Currently in the Produce Section
These genetically modified fruits and vegetables are already commercially available:
● Arctic apples
● Conscious Greens mustard greens salad mix
● Corn
● Gaba tomato
● Innate potato
● Papaya
● Pink pineapple
● Purple tomato
● Zucchini and yellow summer squash
What’s Next for GMOs in Produce?
Our research team is currently aware of several GMO crops in development. These include:
● Avocados
● Bananas
● Blackberries
● Cherries
● Corn
● Cranberries
● Grapes
● Honeysweet plum
● Lettuce
● Mushrooms
● Onions
● Oranges
● Peas
● Raspberries
● Strawberries
● Tomatoes (several additional varieties)
Which Traits is the Biotech Industry After in GMO Fruits and Vegetables?
The following traits identify some of the biotech industry's intentions, not necessarily their results.
● Faster growth rates
● Higher yield
● Drought tolerance
● Disease resistance
● Non-browning or reduced bruising
● No seeds or pits
● An altered flavor profile
● Increased nutrition
● Medicinal benefits
As an INFRA member store, you already know how powerful collective action can be.
By working together, we can protect our valuable genetic inheritance as a shared resource that nourishes all life. It's only natural.
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