What is the Little Labels, Big Impact Campaign? #LittleLabelsBigImpact
This January we’re celebrating change for good with the Little Labels, Big Impact campaign – and inviting everyone to shop sustainably throughout the store! By looking for Non-GMO Project Verified, Fairtrade America and the Marine Stewardship Council labels on groceries, you can be certain you’re supporting practices that are better for people and the planet. Through their rigorous standards, these third-party certifications are driving critical environmental and social change in our food systems. Celebrate the good food movement by shopping for these little labels that are making a big difference toward a better, more sustainable future for all!
Now’s a great time to establish new habits as people are reimagining their wellness and sustainability goals for the new year. Join us to help your customers make a change for good!
Access the media kit to find assets that provide simple ways to educate your customers about the little labels.
In addition to our digital offerings, we’re also pleased to provide Little Labels, Big Impact tote bags for your staff, favorite customers, or to use as your own giveaway items. Request your free organic cotton totes here! (Note: 30 totes per storefront, up to 120 totes per retailer, while supplies last. U.S. shipping only.)
We are also offering the Little Labels, Big Impact design file. Inspired? Try this Fairtrade organic cotton company to print-your-own.
Fairtrade America works to create more equitable and sustainable trade in collaboration with nearly 2 million farmers and workers by inspiring businesses to implement ethical production practices and assisting shoppers in making informed purchasing decisions. Fairtrade America is the U.S. chapter of Fairtrade International, the original and global leader in fair trade certification with over three decades of experience working to make trade fair in more than 100 countries across the globe. A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, Fairtrade America is the world's largest and most recognized fair trade system, part of a global movement for change. Learn more at www.fairtradeamerica.org.
About the Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a global, science-based nonprofit organization helping to protect the ocean and safeguard seafood supplies for the future. For over 25 years, the MSC has been working with scientists, fisheries, seafood companies, industry experts, retailers, conservation groups, and other nonprofits to improve the way our ocean is fished through the MSC Fisheries Standard and Chain of Custody Standard. The MSC program incentivizes and rewards sustainable fishing practices globally. Through the use of the MSC blue fish label, the MSC makes it easy for everyone to identify and choose sustainable, wild-caught seafood from a certified source. Learn more at www.msc.org.
About the Non-GMO Project
The Non-GMO Project is a mission-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to building and protecting a non-GMO food supply. The Non-GMO Project Verified seal remains North America’s most trusted third-party verification for non-GMO food and products. Backed by our rigorous Standard, the Butterfly label is a meaningful way for brands and retailers to show their commitment to non-GMO choices and the food transparency that shoppers seek. Learn more at www.nongmoproject.org.
Move over synbio stevia; there are newGMO sweeteners in town
The stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana) features leaves that contain sweetness compounds known as rebaudiosides, or Rebs for short. Each Reb has a slightly different flavor profile. When extracted from the stevia leaf, they combine to create a sweetener that has a slightly bitter, and often unpopular, aftertaste. Various brands of synthetic biology (synbio) stevia have been on the market for a number of years and were developed, in part, to address this drawback. Through synbio, developers have been able to select and recreate the sweetest Rebs (e.g., Reb M), of the stevia plant while leaving the other, more bitter Rebs behind.
But in the ever-expanding quest for low- or no-calorie sweeteners, biotechnology developers are now turning their attention to creating new sweetness proteins that mimic those present in less common fruit, such as fruit from the West African oubli and katemfe plants, which are known for their intense sweetness. Some of these novel proteins provide sweetness on their own; others are taste modifiers that are not sweet in their own right but affect sweetness receptors to make foods taste more sweet.
This new group of sweetness and taste-modifying proteins includes brazzein, thaumatin, curculin, mabinlin, and miraculin. Most are being developed using synbio, also known as precision fermentation, but at least one developer is using molecular farming. Here’s a brief overview of some of these developers.
Joywell Foods Joywell Foods (Joywell) is a developer of synbio sweetness proteins that has been working in this space since 2014. Some of the proteins in its portfolio include thaumatin I and II, brazzein, pentadin, curculin, mabinlin, monellin, and miraculin. In June, Joywell announced that it had raised $25 million to bring a line of beverages sweetened with its synbio proteins to market. The Series B funding round was led by Piva Capital with participation from Evolve Ventures (Kraft Heinz VC), IndieBio, Khosla Ventures, and others. Flavor profiles for the beverages include lemon lime, cherry ginger, and mint berry. At this time, it is unknown which of Joywell’s sweetness proteins will be used in the beverages or how they will be listed on ingredient panels.
It is interesting to note that in February of 2021, Joywell Foods sent a GRAS submittal for various forms of miracle fruit (miraculin) to the FDA but then several months later, in September, requested that the FDA cease its evaluation of the submittal after the FDA had raised a number of issues.
Conagen/Sweegen Conagen and its partner Sweegen have announced the commercial launch of a new synbio sweetness protein, brazzein. The protein will be marketed under the brand name Ultratia™. Sweegen plans to launch the synbio sweetener by the end of the year but did not reveal the specific products that would feature the new protein. At the end of 2021, Conagen revealed that it was preparing to submit GRAS paperwork to the FDA. The ingredient will reportedly be listed on ingredient panels as brazzein.
Amai Proteins Amai Proteins (Amai), an Israeli biotechnology developer, uses a computational protein design platform to create novel synbio sweetness proteins. Amai was recently named the global winner of the 2022 XTC Extreme Tech Challenge for its work and hopes to launch its sweetness proteins within the year. The company’s first product will be branded sweelin™.
Brain Biotech/Roquette Brain Biotech is a German company that specializes in the use of CRISPR and precision fermentation (i.e., synbio). The company entered into an agreement with the French company Roquette in 2021 to produce a synbio brazzein sweetness protein. The partnership stemmed from their collaboration as part of the DOLCE Research Program, whose mission was to provide next-generation sweetness solutions. The companies plan to initially target the beverage industry.
Nomad Bioscience/Nambawan Biotech Nomad Biosciences (Nomad) is a German biotechnology company that develops antibacterial biologics for medicine, food antibacterials, and sweet and taste-modifying proteins.Working with its spinoff company, Nambawan Biotech, Nomad has developed and commercialized thaumatin II, which is intended for use in food and beverages. Nomad uses molecular farming to produce thaumatin and other proteins in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) and other crops. The company has submitted paperwork and achieved GRAS status for nine protein events.
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
October is Non-GMO Month!
New GMO Alert – Purple Tomato Recently Approved for U.S. Import and Cultivation
Eat two tomatoes and call me in the morning
As new GMO techniques such as CRISPR are making it easier and cheaper to genetically modify plants, researchers are expanding their focus to manipulate different types of crops, those that fall outside of what we have come to identify as likely being GMO, such as corn, soy, cotton, sugar beet, and canola. They are also expanding the types of traits that are being engineered into these plants, with some of those traits being created in hopes of providing some sort of health benefit. One of the most popular plants du jour for this experimentation is the tomato.
The “purple tomato” was recently approved for U.S. import and cultivation by USDA/APHIS, a little over a year after the application was first submitted in July 2021. It was developed by scientists at Norfolk Plant Sciences (Norfolk), which is located at, and is a spinout of, the John Innes Centre in Norwich, U.K. The tomato species Solanum lycopersicum was genetically engineered to have greater levels of anthocyanin, which is thought to have beneficial health effects. The company says about half a cup of purple tomatoes is estimated to contain the same amount of anthocyanin as half a cup of blueberries.
The transgenic tomato was modified using genetic material from the snapdragon (to control anthocyanin levels) and Arabidopsis thaliana (as a flavanol activator). Purple tomatoes aren’t new; there are over two dozen varieties of tomatoes that feature some degree of purple skin, many of them heirloom varieties. What makes this GM purple tomato distinct is that it also features purple flesh.
The purple tomato represents the first GM crop to undergo USDA/APHIS review under the new SECURE rule, which was promulgated in 2020. Thus, in addition to receiving the USDA’s stamp of approval for both import and cultivation, any future versions (i.e., events) of the purple tomato that involve the same species, traits, and mechanisms of action will not be regulated. Norfolk plans to release the tomato for sale in limited markets in 2023.
However, the purple tomato is not the first genetically modified tomato to reach the table. Sanatech Seed (Sanatech) launched the GM Sicilian Rouge GABA tomato in Japan in 2021, after the Japanese government determined that the tomato would not be regulated as a genetically modified product. Sanatech, in conjunction with scientists at the University of Tsukuba, used CRISPR to genetically modify the tomato to have high levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid thought to help manage hypertension. The tomatoes were first made available to home gardeners as seedlings and were then released for sale directly to consumers in September of last year.
Researchers at the John Innes Centre have also been working to develop GM tomatoes with other traits. It was recently reported that they had created a CRISPR “Vitamin D” tomato, boosting the amount of Vitamin D in the skin and flesh of a tomato to equal that present in two eggs. The tomato leaves were found to also contain high levels of Vitamin D3, leading researchers to speculate that the leaves could serve as a vegan source of Vitamin D3 for supplements. Researchers there are also working to create a tomato that accumulates and expresses L-DOPA, an amino acid that is used to treat Parkinson’s Disease.
In all of these instances, the tomato was likely chosen in part because of its popularity with consumers. It remains to be seen whether or to what extent the increased health benefits purported through the creation of these GM traits are ultimately realized.
That being said, these health benefit traits bring to mind Golden Rice, a crop that had been genetically modified to produce beta-carotene with the goal of addressing Vitamin A deficiency, especially in children with poor nutrition. Since its initial development in the late 1990s (GR1), and subsequent iterative event in the early 2000s (GR2E), Golden Rice has been highly controversial for a wide range of reasons – reasons beyond its GM origins – including cost; yield; and nutrient value, bioavailability, and degradation. At the present time, only one country, the Philippines, is commercially growing Golden Rice, and that process has only recently begun.
In 2018, Golden Rice (GR2E) received the approval of the FDA, but it is interesting to note that in its approval, the FDA stated that the levels of beta-carotene in GR2E rice were too low to warrant a nutrient content claim.
If the purple tomato is sold in the U.S. next year, it will be one of a few GM crops to be sold directly to consumers. Due to lack of consumer acceptance, most GMO crops such as corn and soy are marketed toward farmers. The GMO crops are then used primarily as feed for livestock or are highly processed before being sold directly to consumers.
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
October is Non-GMO Month! Support our work in creating a more transparent food system that is better for the people and the planet. Our research team tracks hundreds of biotech companies so we can deliver you the most accurate information on emerging GMOs – because we believe everyone deserves an informed choice. Donate today!
Molecular Farming: Creating Peas that are Both Plant and Animal?
What is molecular farming? Technically, molecular farming is defined as the production of proteins and other metabolites that are considered valuable to medicine or industry in plants traditionally used in agriculture. Some have casually referred to molecular farming as synbio on steroids.
Thus, inasmuch as synbio (i.e., precision fermentation) is the genetic modification of microorganisms to exploit them for what they do naturally to create novel proteins, molecular farming is the genetic modification of plants to exploit them for what they do naturally to create novel proteins. These plants are different from traditional GMOs, which were modified to create new traits in crops, traits such as herbicide tolerance or insect resistance. Instead, through molecular farming, plants create new compounds and products.
These crops are often genetically modified to include animal DNA in order to create these novel proteins. The proteins can then be extracted from the plant once the crop is harvested for use in various applications (e.g., to make cheese). But the animal proteins can also be left in the crop for use in and to boost protein levels of the final end product. For example, think of a pea or soy crop that is modified to create meat proteins, then harvested so that the end product, the pea or soy isolate, has greater protein levels for use in a plant-based burger.
This technique is relatively new, but in the interest of transparency, below are some of the GMO developers working in this space.
Moolec Science
Located in the UK, Moolec Science (Moolec) is using molecular farming to produce animal proteins in a variety of plants, including safflower, soybean, and pea. The company’s first two products are chymosin (an enzyme used in cheesemaking) and the nutritional oil GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), both being produced in genetically modified safflower. The chymosin is marketed as Chymosin SPC, and the GLA is marketed as GLA Sonova®. The company is backed by Bioceres Crop Solutions, the developer of the genetically modified HB4 soy and HB4 wheat. The safflower was modified using a bovine protein to create the chymosin, and the GLA technology was sourced from Bioceres.
In June, Moolec announced a $504 million deal with the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) LightJump Acquisition. The money will be used to accelerate the commercialization of both chymosin and GLA and expand the company’s R&D facilities. The company is now gearing up to create meat protein in soy and pea, which it plans to launch in late 2022 or early 2023. The product Poork+ features porcine proteins in soy; Beef+ features bovine proteins in pea. In addition, Moolec claims to have established contracts with seven food producers.
Pigmentum
Pigmentum is an Israeli startup that is genetically modifying Romaine lettuce to produce a variety of complex molecules, including proteins, pigments, and aromas. Under Pigmentum’s platform, the transgenic plants express the desired compounds only when an agrochemical is applied, and then the compounds are extracted post-harvest. Overall, the company plans to target the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Initial compounds being explored include anthocyanin, vanillin, and casein. The platform also allows for the repression of specific genetic traits.
Miruku
Miruku, a New Zealand-based biotech company founded in 2020, is using molecular farming to produce proteins, fats, and sugars in unidentified plants. The company’s initial work is focused on creating dairy proteins, and it hopes to have these proteins in the marketplace within 3 years.
Nobell Foods
Nobell Foods, which is located in San Francisco, is genetically modifying soy plants with animal DNA to produce casein, a protein present in cow’s milk, with the ultimate goal of creating mozzarella and cheddar cheese. The company plans to launch its first product by the end of 2022 or in early 2023.
Tiamat Sciences
Tiamat Sciences (Tiamat) is growing its genetically modified plants using vertical farming. The company’s first product will be animal-free growth factors for cell-cultured meat, for which the company has achieved GRAS status. In 2021, Tiamat announced that it had raised $3 million in seed funding. The funds are being used to construct a pilot facility in Durham, North Carolina.
Kyomei
Based in the U.K. and spun out of work done at the University of Oxford, the newly launched Kyomei is working to genetically engineer plants to produce meat proteins. The startup’s first effort is creating bovine myoglobin in plants.
Mozza Foods
Located in Los Angeles, California, the new startup Mozza Foods and its affiliate Lovely Dairy are working to produce dairy proteins in unidentified plants in order to make mozzarella. The company hopes to bring its cheese, branded as Lovely Cheese, to market in 2025.
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
Consumer preference shows GMOs are not wanted or needed in the innovative plant-based space
Bellingham, Wash. – September 7, 2022 – Last year plant-based food sales grew three times faster than total sales, with market value at an all-time high of $7.4 billion. One of the fastest growing product categories, plant-based foods is expected to reach $162 billion in the next decade. Eaters are drawn to plant-based foods for reasons such as health, climate, and affordability. SPINS reports about 52% of overall plant-based sales are Non-GMO Project Verified. At the same time, new research shows explosive growth of Verified products in the plant-based space – a bellwether signaling consumer demand is headed toward non-GMO plant-based options.
Many companies without the Butterfly mark rely on traditional GMOs such as soybeans and corn. Moreover, significant investment is being made in new GMOs using synthetic biology (synbio), to create a range of ingredients for plant-based products, including non-animal dairy proteins, fats, and blood-like compounds such as “heme.” The new products made with GMOs are being marketed directly to natural shoppers and retailers, using unfamiliar terms such as “precision fermentation,” “animal free,” and “nature identical.” These synthetic products are entering the market largely unregulated and unlabeled, compromising the consumer's right to know what's in their food.
“The Non-GMO Project supports appropriate innovation and technology for creating new, wholesome vegan and vegetarian options, but we are seeing synthetic ingredients infiltrating the plant-based space,” cautions Megan Westgate, founder and executive director of the Non-GMO Project, North America’s most relied-upon non-GMO authority. “Let’s keep plant-based foods naturally non-GMO. And if they do contain GMOs, at least label them clearly, so people can choose to avoid them.”
Data show that consumers are looking for the Butterfly. In a new case study of growth of sales from 2019-2021, SPINS data found that Non-GMO Project Verified frozen plant-based meat alternatives rose +71.7%, as opposed to only +10.4% for unlabeled products in the same category.
“It’s hard to ignore the opportunistic nature of some of the GMO-based companies, targeting plant-seeking consumers. Most people who are looking for animal protein alternatives want real plants; this transition is often cultural and personal,” says Alicia Kennedy, food writer, author and veganism expert. “The problem is that many consumers have no idea that some of these products are made from industrial GMOs and synthetic ingredients. Products are largely not labeled. Vegetarianism and veganism have been co-opted by Silicon Valley and venture capitalists, where once they were often a protest against industrial foods. Why is that?"
“We know there is a big and growing movement to embrace sustainable plant-based proteins, and we believe the leading edge of innovation is actually non-GMO and organic. It’s important that shoppers have that option and many Non-GMO Project Verified brands are showing how great real food can be,” said Nicole Atchison, CEO of PURIS Holdings, which was named Fast Company’s Most Innovative Food Company in 2021. “We can make vegan options available and truly sustainable by using natural, non-GMO ingredients — that’s what most people want, too.”
On September 14 at 9 am PST, the Project will host a live industry seminar Who’s Driving the Future of Plant-Based Foods? Non-GMO Innovation in the Fastest Growing Category. Industry experts and thought leaders will discuss the convergence of sustainability, demand for plant-based food, and the need for food sovereignty. What does innovation in plant-based foods look like without GMOs? Are products made with new GMOs even in demand? The seminar will explore these questions and more, plus live audience questions at the end.
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The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices. As the market leader for GMO avoidance, the Project offers North America’s most rigorous and trusted third-party verification for non-GMO food and products.
If a consumer cares about GMOs in their food, they know they need to look for the Non-GMO Project’s butterfly. The certification is granted to products that meet a stringent set of regulations that ensure genetically modified or bioengineered ingredients are not included. Many products that are not required by federal law to label bioengineered ingredients are not eligible for Non-GMO Project verification.
This study pulls together SPINS point-of-sale data for both natural and multi-outlet stores for the 104 weeks ending Dec. 26, 2021. Across the board, the Non-GMO Project butterfly gave a large boost to sales growth.
In terms of dollar volumes, Non-GMO Project Verified frozen plant-based meats; frozen and refrigerated meat, poultry and seafood; and refrigerated eggs saw offerings with the butterfly grow far more than those products that simply billed themselves as non-GMO or had non-GMO labels.
Frozen and refrigerated meat, poultry and seafood products with the butterfly saw 52.5% sales growth, for example. Those that simply billed themselves as non-GMO saw 40.5% growth, and those without non-GMO labels grew 22.2%.
However, these results need to be looked at for what they are. There is still growth happening in products that aren’t trying to position themselves as non-GMO. Given the fact that more than 90% of U.S. corn and soybeans are produced using genetically modified varieties, according to the USDA, there are several existing products that cannot qualify for Non-GMO Project verification.
In the days that GMO labeling laws were being debated, it was estimated that 75% of grocery store products qualified as GMO. The breakdown may be different now, as more consumers are concerned with product labels and certifications. Large brands’ products that use GMO ingredients likely also saw huge sales during the last two years, especially during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the growth percentage might not have been as high as a smaller Non-GMO Project Verified product.
What the study does show is that Non-GMO Project Verified is a label certification that works. At the beginning of the year, as the requirement for foods made with bioengineered ingredients to be labeled was taking effect, researchers affiliated with Cornell University published a study that showed the power of the butterfly seal.
They designed the study to examine how mandatory GMO labeling impacted consumer purchases by looking at Vermont, which briefly enacted a state-specific labeling law. They found mandatory labeling had no pronounced effect on purchases, but that high-profile discussions about GMO products led to an uptick in sales for Non-GMO Project Verified items.
For brands looking to draw consumer interest, a Non-GMO Project Verified seal may do it, this study finds. And while the butterfly seems to work better than the USDA Organic seal, studies have shown that could be because consumers don’t really know what organic means. However, according to USDA requirements, products that become organic certified cannot use GMOs either. This study shows getting both certifications might be worth the cost.
GNT launches Non-GMO Project Verified range of clean-label EXBERRY® color concentrates
[Dallas, NC, September 6, 2022] — EXBERRY® by GNT has created a new portfolio of Non-GMO Project Verified colors that eliminates the need for manufacturers to secure independent non-GMO approval.
Based on the concept of coloring food with food, EXBERRY® colors are clean-label concentrates made from non-GMO fruits, vegetables, and plants using physical processing methods. However, navigating the verification process for non-GMO products can be an expensive and time-consuming process for food and beverage manufacturers.
GNT has now launched a portfolio of shades that can save manufacturers time and money as they are Non-GMO Project Verified. The 20 EXBERRY® products are certified by North America’s only third-party nonprofit verification initiative. It is the highest quality product labeling and certification system, assuring consumers that products have been scrupulously evaluated for compliance by an independent party with measurement tools developed by industry experts.
Consumers find the Butterfly mark "highly meaningful" and use it as a benchmark when seeking out non-GMO Products.¹ The easily recognizable verification label allows manufacturers to reach a wider audience by sending a message of trust, transparency, and authenticity to the consumer.
GNT USA’s Vice President, Jeannette O’Brien, said: “As the food and beverage industry’s leading supplier of natural, plant-based colors, GNT strives to create a gold standard level of customer service. This Non-GMO Project Verified portfolio reflects our mission to save manufacturers time and money by doing the heavy lifting for them.”
Find out more about GNT’s Certified Non-GMO Project color portfolio by emailing: learnmore@gntusa.com
About GNT:
GNT is the creator of EXBERRY®, the leading brand of natural colors for the food and beverage industry. EXBERRY® colors are derived solely from fruits, vegetables, and edible plants through a process of chopping, pressing, filtering and blending. EXBERRY® colors contain only non-GMO ingredients, and certified organic colors are available. With a vertically integrated supply chain and world-class customer support, GNT provides customers through each stage of the formulation and development process, from technical, regulatory to commercial scale up support.
¹ “Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability Center Report on GMOs in Corn and Soy.”
Consumer Reports (n.d.): n. pag. Oct. 2014.
We are actively recruiting for three volunteers to serve as Voting Members on the Standards Committee (SC). If you are interested in making a positive impact in the Non-GMO space through your knowledge, experience, and passion, apply!
The SC oversees the development of the Non-GMO Project Standard and is responsible for addressing all standard-related comments received from stakeholders. Revisions and interpretations proposed by the SC are reviewed and voted upon by the Standards Oversight Committee on behalf of the Board of Directors, which holds final decision-making authority. The SC comprises representatives from the following areas:
Voting members who reflect a balanced representation of external stakeholder interests
At least one voting member who is well positioned to represent consumer advocacy or policy perspectives
Non-voting representatives from the Project’s technical administrators
One non-voting representative of the Non-GMO Project staff
The details of the SC and revisions to the Non-GMO Project Standard can be found in the Terms of Reference.
A New Plant-Based Meat Analog – This Time with Synbio Bovine Blood Proteins
The Non-GMO Project closely monitors all food and ingredient products made using synbio (also known as precision fermentation) and has done so for a number of years. We are now seeing these products making their way into the food supply chain. Since its introduction in 2016, the Impossible™ Burger from Impossible™ Foods has had the distinction of being the only plant-based meat analog that includes a synbio ingredient. The inclusion of that ingredient, heme, which is produced by a genetically modified (GM) microorganism, marked the first merging of a synbio ingredient into a plant-based product. Well, that distinction is no more.
Motif FoodWorks™ (Motif), the food development spinoff from Ginkgo Bioworks, has now released a plant-based meat analog with its own synbio ingredient – Hemami™. Like the Impossible™ Burger, Motif’s BeefWorks™ (aka MoBeef™) burger combines a plant-based meat analog with a GM ingredient designed to create a more “meat-like” product through the inclusion of synbio “blood” proteins.
Hemami™ was launched as an ingredient in December 2021. Although both heme and Hemami™ are the products of GM microorganisms, Motif’s source of the DNA for its GM microorganism is bovine (cow) muscle (myoglobin); Impossible™ Foods’s source of the DNA for its GM microorganism is soy root nodules (leghemoglobin). Motif’s BeefWorks™ burger also includes the company’s proprietary Appetex™, a texturizer, as an ingredient.
Motif’s burger was first introduced to consumers as part of a pilot study conducted at several Dallas-area Coolgreens eateries during the summer of 2021. With the commercial launch of BeefWorks™ earlier this year, Motif has expanded its focus in the marketplace, targeting food service, distributors, and retailers.
Motif also has ambitious plans for the future, with more products in development, including Motif BeefWorks™ ground beef (2022), Motif PorkWorks™ (aka MoPork™) (2022), and Motif ChickenWorks™ (aka MoChicken™) (2023). The company has also filed trademark applications for Motif MilkWorks™ (aka MoMilk™), Motif MoCheese™, and Motif FishWorks™ (aka MoFish™).
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
Bioceres GM HB4 Wheat Gains Traction Worldwide
Wheat is a grain fundamental to global health and food security across the world. Our breads, pastas, and other wheat-based foods take up a major portion on our plates, providing an estimated 20% of calories globally. Other principal crops such as corn and soy, which are mostly GMO, are fed to livestock -- not directly to us. Traditionally, consumer acceptance of GMO wheat has been low because we eat wheat at the dinner table. However, with war, supply chain disruption and climate change, genetically modified wheat companies are making the claim that now is the time to release patented GM wheat grains for human consumption into the market. With increased privatization in our food supply, consumers and farmers alike are concerned about consolidation, contamination, and control.
Since 2020, when Bioceres Crop Solutions (Bioceres) announced the regulatory approval of its genetically modified (GM) HB4 wheat by Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture, we have been closely monitoring the progress of this crop. Argentina is Latin America’s largest producer and a significant exporter of wheat. GM HB4 wheat (IND-00412-7) was developed by Bioceres in conjunction with its research and development branch INDEAR (Instituto Nacional de Agrobiotecnologia de Rosario). The wheat was modified to be drought tolerant but is also tolerant of the herbicide glufosinate.
Despite Argentina’s initial approval of HB4 wheat in 2020, the cultivation of GM wheat in 2021 was limited to 225 farmers and approximately 55,000 ha (of a total of approximately 6.5 million ha) and was later referred to as “inventory ramp-up,” rather than commercial planting. This was mostly due to concerns regarding Brazil’s lagging approval and the potential export risks associated with contamination.
In May 2021, Bioceres announced an agreement with the Argentinian company Havanna for the latter to produce baked goods using the GM wheat. Later that year in November, after a brief delay, Brazil finally approved the sale of HB4 wheat, as well as the commercial release of flour made from the wheat, paving the way for commercial cultivation in Argentina.
In May 2022, Argentina approved the commercial cultivation of the crop for the 2022/23 planting season. This approval includes the ability to commercialize the seed as well as products derived from the wheat. However, Bioceres has stated that it will maintain its preserved identity plan and delay the commercialization of the seed until there is greater acceptance of the GM wheat and its derivatives worldwide. To that end, also in May, Bioceres received approval from Australia and New Zealand for the sale and use of foods made with HB4 wheat.
Last month, Brazil revealed that it was testing the GM wheat in response to the global tightening of wheat markets and in an effort to become more self-sufficient. Test fields near Brasilia had been planted in March with the hope of having data on the wheat’s performance in August.
On the heels of Australia’s approval of HB4 wheat for consumption, Bioceres is planning to carry out cultivation field trials in Australia and is seeking Australia’s approval to cultivate the GM wheat by 2024. There is no word on the potential import approval of HB4 wheat by China, which is also a significant trading partner with Argentina.
It should be noted that Bioceres just received FDA approval for HB4 wheat and is awaiting USDA approval for cultivation in the U.S. No GM wheat has ever been approved for cultivation in the U.S. Monsanto conducted GM wheat field trials in the U.S. in the late 1990s and mid-2000s but voluntarily withdrew its request for cultivation approval based on the concerns of farmers and the wheat industry regarding the potential for wheat contamination and risks to international trade. In 2020, the value of US wheat exports was $6.3 billion.
The risk of contamination is real. Between 2013 and 2019, more than 10 years after the last U.S. field trial, there have been at least five reported incidents of GM wheat contamination (Oregon, 2013; Montana, 2014; Washington, 2016; Alberta, 2018; and Washington, 2019). As a result of those contamination events, Japan and South Korea suspended the import of U.S. wheat; China, Thailand, and the Philippines tightened inspection; and the EU urged member countries to increase the import testing of wheat.
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
The Non-GMO Project is releasing the Program Rules and Procedures to increase transparency in the Product Verification Program (PVP) for all stakeholders.
This overarching document outlines the PVP's rules and requirements, including procedures specific to different phases of the Participant's life cycle in the program. Version 1.0 of Rules and Procedures is now available on our website and has an effective date of September 1, 2022.
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 genetic engineering techniques, including synbio (aka precision fermentation), are defined as GMOs by the Project’s Standard.
According to a recent report by the Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR) Initiative, fermentation startups raked in more than $1.4B in 2021. So, further growth and expansion in the marketplace is anticipated. Below is a brief round-up of some of the other companies that are actively pursuing the development of synbio animal-free dairy proteins.
Imagindairy, an Israeli precision fermentation company, is using its proprietary synthetic biology platform to produce animal-free milk proteins. Imagindairy completed a $13M seed funding round in 2021 and then recently brought in an additional $15M in an extended seed round, for a total of $28M. The company expects to launch its animal-free milk proteins by 2023, focusing on the B2B market, with the help of strategic collaborations.
New Culture is developing animal-free dairy proteins – specifically casein proteins – in order to create animal-free cheese. In late 2021, the company raised $25M in a Series A funding round. New Culture’s goal is to release its first product, mozzarella, in select pizzerias in 2022, with wider distribution in 2023. The company has reportedly established a number of partnerships with unnamed entities to help streamline the entry of its products into the marketplace.
Change Foods is also focusing on animal-free casein, the dairy protein that provides the melting properties of cheese, as well as inputs such as lipids and aromatic compounds. The company recently completed an extended seed funding round, securing $12M, bringing their total funding to $15.3M. Change Foods is exploring the potential for partnerships in the retail and food service industries. The company plans to launch its first product in 2023.
Formo (formerly known as Legendairy Foods) is also using precision fermentation to create animal-free dairy proteins. Located in Berlin, Germany, the company is touted as being Europe’s first developer of animal-free dairy products. In the fall of 2021, Formo closed a Series A funding round that raised $50M, which was identified as a record for a European food technology company. The money is earmarked for the construction of a pilot plant and the fast-tracking of commercial production. The focus of the company is on cheese.
Remilk, another Israeli developer of synbio animal-free dairy proteins, is building what has been referred to as the world’s largest full-scale precision fermentation facility. The announcement followed the close of the company’s recent $120M Series B Funding round. The facility will be located in Kalundborg, Denmark; and Remilk anticipates that when the 750,000-sq-ft facility is completed, it will generate dairy proteins equivalent to the amount produced by 500 dairy cows. A target product release date has not been announced.
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
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 these are actually unlabeled and unregulated GMOs.
“Synbio dairy products are GMOs because they are created by genetically engineering a microbe like yeast to excrete milk proteins,” said Megan Westgate, founder and executive director of the Non-GMO Project, North America’s most relied-upon non-GMO authority. “That’s the definition of unnatural.”
The synbio process forces cells to produce novel proteins that mimic natural ingredients like casein and whey. The possible risks include:
Significant biohazardous waste.
The accidental release of new GMOs into the environment.
Continued reliance on fossil fuels for GMO growth media and the incineration of waste.
Synbio dairy could also put traditional dairy farmers and farmworkers out of business.
The synbio dairy industry is rapidly expanding with a significant infusion of investment. According to the biotech industry’s Good Food Institute, nearly $2 billion has been invested in developing “precision fermented” products like synbio dairy in the past year alone.
“GMOs pose a threat to the land, environment, and family farms, and I don’t think GMOs have a place in our farming and food system,” says Albert Straus, Founder/CEO of Straus Family Creamery. “As the first Non-GMO Project Verified Creamery in North America, we are committed to organic farming.”
Straus adds, “Organic farming practices protect the environment, address animal welfare, build soil health and provide nutritious food while revitalizing rural communities. Organic dairy farming and milk production are the foundation for a carbon-neutral airy farming model that we’ll achieve on my farm by 2023.”
The Non-GMO Project is launching a first-ever, dairy-focused campaign during National Dairy Month to bring awareness to the agricultural and environmental threat of synbio dairy. An industry webinar, consumer education, and media kit for brands and retailers will support the June campaign, “How Do You Milk a Microbe?” The campaign asserts that natural, organic and non-GMO dairy is better than synbio dairy for consumers, farmers, and the planet. Research shows that natural and traditional dairy, produced regeneratively, can sink carbon into the ground while building biodiversity and healthy soils.
Manufacturers of synbio dairy also claim to be pro-climate, but the evidence is slim. “Given that their patents reference the need for large amounts of feedstock, it’s clear the industry is just ramping up demand for more GMO seed and cheap GMO crops. This reinforces the loss of biodiversity through monocultures and pesticides, while reducing the vitality of our rural communities by concentrating wealth in corporations, “ warns Alan Lewis, Vice President at Natural Grocers. “The dependence on petrochemical fertilizers and tillage releases tremendous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. The same cows that synthetic biology wants to replace with 'sustainable' fermentation vats are actually critical to recapturing carbon via healthy pasture lands.”
On June 16 at 10 am PST, the Project will host an industry webinar, including Megan Westgate, Albert Straus, Alan Lewis and Errol Schweizer, author, journalist and former leader of the national grocery program at Whole Foods Market. Panelists will share insider insights on synbio dairy and address questions regarding misleading synbio dairy claims.
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The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices. As the market leader for GMO avoidance, the Project offers North America’s most rigorous and trusted third-party verification for non-GMO food and products.
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 confirms Dulcet Scintilla’s continuous commitment to transparency in supplying high quality, reliable, and traceable ingredients to all customers.
“We’re so excited to reach a very important milestone in our brand’s history. We know how important it is for our consumers to know how their food is sourced, what is in the food they eat, and feel confident about the ingredients in our products. We responded by seeking the most trusted standard of excellence in the food industry for GMO avoidance,” said Angel Cephas, Founder & CEO of Dulcet Scintilla, and co-founder of Bell’s Reines.
About Bell’s Reines
Bells’ Reines has been a pioneer in the mini-soft cookie category since its beginning. Our cookies are small batch, made by hand in a commercial kitchen located in Rockville, MD. Bell’s Reines cookies come in eight different varieties, including chocolate chip, double choco chip, gluten-free chocolate chip, gluten-free oatmeal raisin, gluten-free and vegan snickerdoodle, matcha white chip, oatmeal raisin and snickerdoodle. For information, please visit www.bellsreines.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @bellsreines.
Media Contact Name: Teneisha Thompson
Media Contact Email: contact@bellsreines.com
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, including synbio, are defined as GMOs by the Project’s Standard.
A new company, Betterland Foods™, made its debut at Expo West this year. Founded by Liz Falsetto, the creator of Think!® protein bars, Betterland Foods™ has been established to partner with Perfect Day® and create products that use the synbio developer’s animal-free whey protein. The new company’s first product, Betterland Milk™, was introduced at the show.
The milk comes in two forms, whole milk and extra creamy, and is expected to launch in retail stores this summer. In addition to Perfect Day’s animal-free whey protein, the milk also contains water, sunflower oil, MCT oil (a supplement made from medium-chain triglycerides, a type of fat), cane sugar, inulin, pea starch, gellan gum, locust bean gum, pea flower extract, sea salt, and natural flavors.
Despite its official “launch” at Expo West, Betterland Milk™ actually made its debut last fall when two Starbucks locations in the Seattle area initiated a trial of the novel milk product. At the time, the product was attributed to Perfect Day®.
Shortly after Expo West, Betterland Foods™ released its second product, the WOO™ candy bar. Designed to mimic a well-known chocolate, caramel, and peanut chocolate bar, the WOO™ candy bar also features Perfect Day’s animal-free whey protein (listed as cow-free whey protein on the ingredient panel). Other ingredients include inulin fiber, soluble corn fiber, sunflower lecithin, gum Arabic, sunflower lecithin, and guar gum. The candy bar is currently available on the WOO™ website.
According to Betterland Foods™, we should expect a variety of “cow-free” products based on Perfect Day’s animal-free whey protein to be released in the future. It is unclear to what extent future products of the independent Betterland Foods™ will be distinct from or similar to those offered by Perfect Day’s affiliated company, the Urgent Company.
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
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 warmer climates.
The heritable trait achieved through the genetic change is shorter hair, known in the industry as a slick haircoat, which reportedly enables the cow to better regulate and tolerate heat. Officially, the cow is known as the PRLR-SLICK cow, referencing both the genetic change and the trait.
The PRLR-SLICK cow was developed by Recombinetics through its subsidiary Acceligen. Recombinetics is the company that also developed the "hornless cow," which was created using TALEN. Although the hornless cow was never submitted to the FDA for a safety review, the agency accidentally discovered that the cow’s genome included remnant bacteria DNA as off-target effects, rendering the animal transgenic (i.e., an organism with the genetic material of more than one species) and subject to more significant regulatory oversight. The project was subsequently put on hold by the developer.
In comparing the genome of the PRLR-SLICK cow to that of its non-engineered parent, both Recombinetics and the FDA identified off-target effects, but the FDA determined that these effects did not pose a safety risk. Thus, the PRLR-SLICK cow has no segregation or labeling requirements. It is anticipated that meat from these animals could enter the U.S. food supply chain in about 2 years.
The FDA’s determination represents the agency’s first decision for an intentional genomic alteration (IGA) in an animal for food use under the extended Enforcement Discretion Policy, which was enacted to allow the agency to have more discretion in the enforcement of specific safety rules outlined in the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). According to Steven M. Solomon, Director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, one of the goals is to “encourage other developers to bring animal biotechnology products forward for the FDA’s risk determination in this rapidly developing field, paving the way for animals containing low-risk IGAs to more efficiently reach the marketplace.”
The Non-GMO Project’s Standard defines all crops and products developed using biotechnology, including new gene-editing techniques, as GMOs. We share this information to further one of the Project’s primary goals of creating greater transparency in the supply chain, ensuring you have the information you need to make the best choices for you, your brand, and your family.
Please note that the information herein is for general informational purposes only and is based on the linked sources above.
Bellingham, Wash.
Bellingham, Wash.
