Consumer Affair
Tips to Avoid GMOs
By Jeffrey M. Smith
Apr 30, 2008 - 9:40:50 PM

ARE YOU ONE OF THE
9 OUT OF 10 AMERICANS
OPPOSED TO UNLABELED
GM FOODS?
PEW RESEARCH

This guide will help you determine which products are made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) so you can make healthier non-GMO brand buying choices. GMOs are made by transferring genes from one species, such as bacteria, viruses, or animals, into the DNA of other species, such as corn.

Though most industrialized countries require labeling of GMOs, the U.S. does not. 9 out of 10 Americans want genetically modified (GM) foods to be labeled. Most people say they would avoid brands if labeled as GM.

This guide is produced by The Institute for Responsible Technology, your consumer safety partner and a world leader in exposing the health risks of GMOs. Look for our Non-GMO Shopping Guide coming in mid-2008. For more details or to make a donation, please go to   www.responsibletechnology.org .

HOW TO MAKE SAFER BUYING CHOICES
GMO Defensive Shopping List  

What crops are most often GMOs? Examples of products commonly containing GMOs  

SOY  (89%)* Chocolates use soy lecithin; Breads use soy flour; Shakes use soy protein concentrate; Baby formulas use soy milk.

CORN  (61%)* High fructose corn syrup is found in sodas, cereals, cookies, candy, salad dressings, spaghetti sauces, and 1,000 other products. Baked goods use cornstarch; Vegetable oils use corn oil; Breads use corn flour.

CANOLA  (80%)* Fried products use canola oil; Baked goods use canola oil; Many health products use canola oil.

COTTON  (83%)* Chips use cottonseed oil; Fried snacks use cottonseed oil.

* Percentage of GM cotton, corn, and soy in the US and GM canola grown in Canada.

TIP #1: BUY ORGANIC
There are three types of organic labels:

• “100% ORGANIC” means all ingredients are organic.
• “ORGANIC” means that at least 95% of the ingredients are organic. The other 5%, however, still have to be non-GMO.
• “MADE WITH ORGANIC _________ (ingredient name, e.g. SOY).” This label means that at least 70% of the ingredients are organic, but the remaining 30% still have to be non-GMO.  

If the term organic is ONLY in the list of ingredients and not found anywhere else on the package, then there is no required percentage for organic ingredients in the product, and any non-organic ingredient may be GMO.

TIP #2: LOOK FOR“NON-GMO” LABELS
Companies may voluntarily label products as “non-GMO”. Some labels state “non-GMO” while others spell out “MADE WITHOUT GENETICALLY MODIFIED INGREDIENTS”. Some products limit their claim to only one particular “AT-RISK” ingredient such as soy lecithin, listing it as “non-GMO”.

TIP #3: AVOID AT-RISK INGREDIENTS
The four major GM crops are soy, corn, cottonseed, and canola. Three minor crops are Hawaiian papaya, and a small amount of zucchini and yellow crook neck squash. These 7 crops look just like their non-GMO counterparts. Novel products such as seedless watermelons, pear/apple combos, and tangelos are products of natural breeding and are NOT genetically engineered.

Most GM ingredients are products made from corn and soybeans, used in processed foods. (See chart on page 4.) There is no GM popcorn on the market, nor is there blue or white GM corn.

Help stop the introduction of GM sugar in late 2008. Send a letter to top companies on our website.

TIP #4: USE SHOPPING GUIDES
There are a few non-GMO shoppers’ guides available based on information directly from  food producers.  The True Food Guide, available online at www.truefoodnow.org, has also been reproduced as an insert in the back of the informative book on GMOs, Your Right To Know by Andrew Kimbrell. Go to  www.seedsofdeception.com .

OTHER WAYS TO AVOID GMOs

ANIMAL PRODUCTS
Meats, dairy products, farmed fish, and eggs are usually from animals fed GM feed. To avoid, buy “ORGANIC”, “WILD CAUGHT”, or meat or dairy from “100% GRASS-FED” animals. Avoid dairy products from cows injected with GM bovine growth hormone (called rbGH or rbST). See www.responsibletechnology.org for brands. Honey and bee pollen may have been gathered from GM plants.

PRODUCTS FROM GM MICROORGANISMS
There are many additives, enzymes, flavorings, and processing agents used in foods which are produced by GM bacteria, yeast, or fungi. To avoid them, either buy organic or stick to non-processed foods.

GMO SWEETENER ASPARTAME
Avoid the GMO derivative labeled as the sweetener aspartame. It is also referred to as NutraSweet® and Equal® and is found in over 6,000 products, including soft drinks, gum, candy, desserts, mixes, yogurt, tabletop sweeteners, and some pharmaceuticals such as vitamins and sugar-free cough drops.

AVOID GMOs IN RESTAURANTS
Try to go to restaurants that cook meals from scratch and do not use packaged, processed mixes and sauces which will likely have GM ingredients. At-risk ingredients include corn chips and tortillas, tofu, soy sauce, and sweet corn. Vegetable oil is usually made from GM soy, corn, cottonseed, or canola and is used by most restaurants. Find out if your restaurant uses vegetable oil, and if so, ask if they can cook YOUR meal without oil or with a non-GMO oil, such as olive, sunflower, or safflower. 

Buy non-GMO. Help us stop the genetic engineering of our food supply.
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INVISIBLE GM INGREDIENTS

Processed foods often have hidden GM sources (unless they are organic or declared non-GMO). The following are ingredients that may be made from GM soy, corn, cotton, or canola.

Our understanding is that ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), although usually derived from corn, is probably not GM because it is not made in North America. Honey and bee pollen may contain GMOs if the beehives are near GM crops.

This list is continually being updated and refined. For the most recent version, see  www.responsibletechnology.org .

© copyright Institute For Responsible Technology 2008

Jeffrey M. Smith is the author of publication Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, which presents 65 risks in easy-to-read two-page spreads. His first book, Seeds of Deception, is the top rated and #1 selling book on GM foods in the world. He is the Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology. www.responsibletechnology.org, which is spearheading the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America. Go to  www.seedsofdeception.com to learn more about how to avoid GM foods.