Food packaging often displays various symbols, some indicating the presence of genetically modified ingredients. These logos provide clarity and transparency, helping consumers make informed choices about their food purchases and align selections with their preferences.
The Official Bioengineered Food Logo
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented a mandatory disclosure system for bioengineered foods through the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. This standard, established in July 2016, requires companies to inform consumers about the presence of bioengineered ingredients. A “bioengineered food” is defined as food containing detectable genetic material modified through recombinant DNA techniques, which could not be achieved through conventional breeding or found in nature. Companies have several options for disclosing this information on food packaging. They can use the official “Bioengineered” symbol, a text disclosure (e.g., “Bioengineered Food” or “Contains a Bioengineered Food Ingredient”), an electronic or digital link (such as a QR code), or a text message option.
What Foods Require The Logo?
The USDA maintains an official “List of Bioengineered Foods” to guide manufacturers on which products require disclosure. This list includes commercially produced bioengineered varieties of alfalfa, specific apples (Arctic varieties), canola, corn, cotton, eggplant (BARI Bt Begun varieties), papaya (ringspot virus-resistant varieties), pineapple (pink fleshed varieties), potato, AquAdvantage salmon, soybean, summer squash, and sugarbeet. Certain products are exempt from mandatory disclosure under the standard. These include food served in restaurants or similar retail food establishments, products from very small food manufacturers, and highly refined ingredients, such as corn oil or sugar, derived from bioengineered crops but containing no detectable modified DNA in the final product.
The Non-GMO Project Verified Seal
Distinct from the government-mandated bioengineered food label is the Non-GMO Project Verified seal, a voluntary certification. This seal is offered by the Non-GMO Project, a private, non-profit organization providing third-party verification for non-GMO products. Its presence indicates the product has undergone a rigorous verification process to meet the organization’s standards for avoiding genetically modified organisms.
The verification process involves traceability, segregation, and testing of ingredients throughout the supply chain. The Non-GMO Project’s standard includes an action threshold of 0.9% for inadvertent or unavoidable GMO presence. This seal provides an additional layer of information for consumers seeking products that have specifically aimed to avoid GMOs through a non-governmental verification system.