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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
How was your plant-based “meat” made?
More than ever, consumers are turning to plant-based meat alternatives as a way to show their solidarity with nature and their commitment to more sustainable practices. However, it’s important to note that some of these products are made with GMOs, and more are likely on the way. When ingredients are made using biotechnology, including genetically engineered microorganisms (commonly referred to as "synbio" — short for synthetic biology), the... Read more
Montreal, September 27th, 2021 – Ranked among the world’s best new startups and already considered a global leader in the fight against food waste, today LOOP Mission proudly announces that its catalog of cold-pressed juices and smoothies are officially Non-GMO Project Verified. The Non-GMO Project is North America’s most rigorous third-party verification for non-GMO foods and products. More than a third of food produced worldwide is wasted, which accounts for 8% of total global greenhouse... Read more
Beauty is big biz. So it’s no surprise that GMOs are quickly making their way into personal care products. Using synthetic biology, companies can produce ingredients such as collagen and yes, even spider silk proteins! Here are two companies advancing the use of GMO-made spider silk proteins in body care products. Synthetic biology—which most often refers to the use of genetically engineered microbes—is defined as a GMO technique by our Standard.
Bolt Threads Partners with Ginkgo Bi... Read more
On January 1, 2022, the federal Bioengineered (BE) Food labeling law will take full effect. Under the BE labeling law, certain food products that are made with GMOs will require a disclosure of bioengineered ingredients.
The BE labeling law, known formally as the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard or NBFDS, was introduced in 2016 as a federal response to state-level GMO labeling campaigns. However, this law is not nearly as comprehensive as either the state laws it is meant t... Read more
If you’re one who prefers animal-free products, vegan collagen might be up your alley. But if you wish to avoid GMOs, you’ll want to stop and consider how exactly that collagen was made. If it involved synbio, it would fall squarely under the Non-GMO Project Standard’s definition of a GMO product. That’s because synbio is the genetic engineering of microorganisms. Today, we look at how synbio collagen is expanding from skin care products into food and drink.
Geltor Releases Its Ne... Read more
Moolec Science is Genetically Engineering Animal-Plant Hybrids
As our research team uncovers the frontiers of genetic engineering, we often think, “You just can’t make this stuff up!” Today, we have an alert for you about the exploitation of plants to create animal proteins. It’s one more reason to carefully track the inputs used to make your ingredients and products—and to stay informed! All products of new genetic engineering techniques are defined as GMOs by the Project’s... Read more
[Vancouver, Canada, 07/14/21] — URBL (https://www.urblicious.com), plant-based “functional botanical” beverage shots, today announced Non-GMO Project Verification (https://www.nongmoproject.org/) for their product line “Superfood Decoctions.” The company’s ingredients, supply-chain, and production facilities demonstrated compliance in a third-party audit and verification of traceability of sourced ingredients from suppliers.
Commitment towards sustainability and transparency
... Read more
