News + Updates

New GMO Alert: Animal-Free Dairy Products to Watch Out For
June 16, 2022 - homepage feature, News

Recently, animal-free dairy proteins have entered the marketplace as ingredients in a variety of food products, including milk, ice cream, and cake mix. To date, these products have featured Perfect Day’s synbio animal-free whey proteins. However, Perfect Day is not the only company developing these synbio proteins, which are produced using genetically modified microorganisms in a process often referred to as precision fermentation. It’s important to note that all products of new gen... Read more

Non-GMO Project Data Drop – June, 2022
June 1, 2022 - Blog

A third of all shoppers who are aware of the Butterfly label seek it out in the dairy aisle. (Linkage 2020) Nearly half of all North American shoppers view lab-grown proteins and cell-cultured meat and dairy negatively. (Linkage 2021) 60% of shoppers doubt lab-grown food can be as safe, healthy and nutritious as food grown on a farm. (Linkage 2021) ... Read more

Non-GMO Project Stands with Straus Family Creamery, Other Dairy Farmers, as Synbio Milk Accelerates
May 25, 2022 - Blog, homepage feature, News

GMO “Animal-Free” Dairy Threatens Non-GMO, Organic Producers Bellingham, Wash. – May 25, 2022 – During June Dairy Month, the Non-GMO Project joins American dairy farmers in calling out synthetic dairy, which is quietly appearing in grocery store coolers throughout North America. In recent years, “animal-free” dairy proteins have found their way into everything from ice cream to cream cheese to snack bars, but many shoppers, food manufacturers and retailers are unaware that thes... Read more

Bell’s Reines is now Non-GMO Project Verified!
May 25, 2022 - Blog, homepage feature, News

Dulcet Scintilla, a food industry game changer, and a pioneer of clean high-quality ingredients has obtained the Non-GMO Project Verified certification for its Bell’s Reines full line of miniature soft cookies. Dulcet Scintilla’s brand Bell’s Reines cookies are made without artificial preservatives or artificial flavors since creation in 2019. Dulcet Scintilla wants to support its customers in feeling comfortable, safe, and healthy while enjoying delicious treats. This certification c... Read more

New GMO Alert: Betterland Foods
May 17, 2022 - homepage feature, News

Betterland Foods™ – Food that is better for whom? Animal-free food alternatives continue to enter the marketplace with great fanfare. Many of these products are created using synthetic biology, also known as synbio, a technique that involves the genetic engineering of microorganisms to create novel ingredients that an unmodified microorganism could never produce – such as dairy or whey proteins. It’s important to note that all products of new genetic engineering techniques, includ... Read more

Non-GMO Project Data Drop – May, 2022
May 6, 2022 - Blog

Watch for synbio ingredients! Why? Because customers are still shopping for non-GMO choices that exclude synbio. 65% of shoppers worry about the long-term impact of genetically engineered foods on our collective health. 60% of shoppers react negatively to the term synbio, which is why GMO companies are rebranding and using a host of other names such as “precision fermentation” to appeal to shoppers and make GMOs sound more natural. 230+ = The number of companies usi... Read more

New GMO Alert: Recombinetics Heat-Tolerant GE Cow
April 14, 2022 - homepage feature, News

Is a GE heat-tolerant cow a good thing? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that a genetically engineered (GE) cow poses a low risk and does not raise any safety concerns, making it safe for human consumption. The angus cow (Bos taurus) has been engineered using CRISPR-Cas9 to be more heat-tolerant based on genetic differences identified in other breeds that are either naturally more heat-tolerant or have been cross-bred over time to be better able to thrive in wa... Read more

Non-GMO Project Data Drop – April, 2022
April 6, 2022 - Blog

Who recognizes the Butterfly? Millions! 54% of North American consumers recognize the Non-GMO Project verification mark.1 Of those consumers: More than half say the Butterfly is important to them when making purchasing decisions. 88% are willing to pay a premium (up to 15%) for Verified products. 6-8% of those consumers are willing to pay a premium for Non-GMO Project Verified products over self-made claims.2 Non-GMO Project Verified + USDA Organic = The "Clean-lab... Read more

New GMO Alert: Climate Hero Super Cake Mix
March 16, 2022 - homepage feature, News

Let them eat cake? It’s vegan— but it’s also GMO Perfect Day and its affiliate the Urgent Company are exploring new avenues for Perfect Day’s genetically engineered (GE), animal-free dairy and whey proteins. Late last year, the Urgent Company released a new dessert under its Brave Robot brand: the Climate Hero Super Cake mix. The new offering is a vegan cake mix made with Perfect Day’s animal-free whey proteins as an egg substitute. The product is marketed to consumers... Read more

Natural Products Expo West 2022: March 8-12 in Anaheim, CA
February 28, 2022 - Blog

Each spring, over 80,000 attendees descend upon Natural Products Expo West at the Anaheim Convention Center for the largest trade show of its kind. Influencers and innovators from around the world network, talk shop, and showcase the hottest trends pushing the envelope in the natural and organic food space. The Non-GMO Project team will be back again this March with the latest news on the GMO landscape, answering your questions about product verification. With nearly half of all consumers act... Read more

Non-GMO Project Data Drop – February, 2022
February 28, 2022 - Blog

Who looks for the Butterfly? Millions! Shoppers prefer the Butterfly — 2 out of 3 consumers are more likely to buy products with the Non-GMO Project Verification mark. Showcase your non-GMO commitment — North American consumers say they seek out certifications when shopping more than 30% of the time. This is even more true for shoppers who prefer natural products: They spend up to half their time looking for certifications. Linkage Research September 2021... Read more

Non-GMO Project Statement to Canada’s Minister of Agriculture on Deregulation of Gene-Edited Seeds
February 25, 2022 - Blog, homepage feature

In 2021, the Canadian government proposed regulatory guidance that would remove oversight from many gene-edited plants entering the marketplace. The Non-GMO Project is a significant stakeholder in the GMO debate, and the Product Verification Program includes many items produced or sold in Canada. In support of our Canadian colleagues at the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), we submitted the following letter to the Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Re: Draft guidance ... Read more

New GMO Alert: Modern Kitchen
February 17, 2022 - homepage feature, News

More synbio GMOs hitting the grocery store courtesy of Modern Kitchen After years of development, products of synthetic biology (synbio) are now entering the marketplace. We first heard about Perfect Day’s synbio dairy proteins (made using genetically engineered microbes) when they were introduced in Brave Robot ice cream. However, ice cream was just the beginning. A range of new products created using synbio are poised to enter the marketplace at an increasing pace. The Urgent Compa... Read more

Non-GMO Project Data Drop – January, 2022
January 31, 2022 - Blog

Non-GMO Trends: The rise of functional beverages Non-GMO Project Verified Juice and Functional Beverages grew 5% to $4.2B according to our latest Spins 52 week data! Plant based alternative beverages with the Butterfly are the 2nd fastest growing beverage category at nearly $2B up 7% Spins 52 week ending 10/03/21 ... Read more

Non-GMO Project Data Drop – December, 2021
December 31, 2021 - Blog

Shoppers are curious about where their food comes from. 97% of shoppers who look for the Butterfly are curious about where their food comes from — and 60% of them admit they have more to learn! 66% of shoppers prefer in-store shopping, with more to come after the pandemic Customers who look for the Butterfly spend up to 54% of their time in stores seeking out their preferred certifications. Linkage Research September 2021 Make the Butterfly easier to find... Read more

New GMO Alert: GMO-Made Egg White Proteins
December 16, 2021 - homepage feature, News

Synbio Egg White Proteins Make Their Debut “No chicken needed.” With the help of genetic engineering, one company is making animal-free egg proteins a reality. In this case, the proteins are made through synthetic biology using genetically engineered yeast. Products of synthetic biology are considered GMOs by the Non-GMO Project Standard and, if you’ve been tracking this newsletter you’ll know, represent a new tidal wave of GMOs entering the marketplace. “World’s first animal... Read more