In what is being claimed as a first, a food company is touting its GMO product. This company, Ethos Chocolates, is selling four items that have plant materials altered by genetic engineering.
Food Processing Magazine
https://www.foodprocessing.com/industrynews/2019/ethos-pro-gmo-chocolate/
Ethos Chocolates – the First Pro-GMO Food Product?
By Dave Fusaro, Editor in Chief
Feb 05, 2019
Showing posts with label gmo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gmo. Show all posts
Friday, February 15, 2019
Thursday, September 13, 2018
'Free From" Foods - The Extra Burden for Manufacturers
An interesting read in Bloomburg on the 'Free-From" foods and the impact on how food is being produced. The 'Free-From' foods are those that foods that make label claims that include 'antibiotic free', 'gluten free', 'GMO free'.
The sales of these label-claim foods are increasing. "Products labeled antibiotic free saw growth rates of nearly 20 percent, followed by soyfree at 19 percent and hormone and antibiotic-free at 15 percent."
As food scientists, we recognize that these claims may have little to no impact on health, and where there is a health impact, such as with gluten, there is a very limited number of people affected. According to one report, 1 in five consumers are avoiding or reducing gluten in their diet, but more than a 1/3 of them have no reason for doing it, while only 8% are gluten sensitive with another 9% claiming inflammation from gluten. The rest do it because they view it as healthy...more or less.
Regardless of whether we agree on the need for these label-claim items, people are increasingly purchasing them.
For manufacturer's of these types of foods, there are challenges. The first is having transparency. People know want to know where their food is from, and if they are concerned about GMOs, they want to know the manufacturer is making their food without GMOs...saying so is not enough.
Sourcing is an issue for many of these producing. Securing a steady source of antibiotic chickens in massive quantities can be difficult. Chickens will get sick. Farmers risk loosing a lot of chickens if illness is passed through the flock. GMO free is difficult. Grains for example can be hard not to have small amounts of GMO product getting mixed in when you consider the long supply chain from the field to processor with numerous silos and trucks all along the way.
For companies that handle 'free from' and traditional ingredients, managing inventories of numerous ingredients and applying controls to prevent cross contact can be difficult. Then managing production to make sure there is proper handling of in-process materials, proper clean-out of equipment between production runs, and then labeling.
The positive is the added margin that goes along with these products. If one is willing to put in the extra controls, there are people willing to pay a premium.
Bloomburg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-09/-free-from-foods-are-changing-the-way-your-meals-are-produced
‘Free-From’ Foods Are Changing the Way Your Meals Are Produced
By Jen Skerritt, Megan Durisin, and Craig Giammona
September 09, 2018 5:00 AM Updated on September 10, 2018 6:00 AM
The sales of these label-claim foods are increasing. "Products labeled antibiotic free saw growth rates of nearly 20 percent, followed by soyfree at 19 percent and hormone and antibiotic-free at 15 percent."
As food scientists, we recognize that these claims may have little to no impact on health, and where there is a health impact, such as with gluten, there is a very limited number of people affected. According to one report, 1 in five consumers are avoiding or reducing gluten in their diet, but more than a 1/3 of them have no reason for doing it, while only 8% are gluten sensitive with another 9% claiming inflammation from gluten. The rest do it because they view it as healthy...more or less.
Regardless of whether we agree on the need for these label-claim items, people are increasingly purchasing them.
For manufacturer's of these types of foods, there are challenges. The first is having transparency. People know want to know where their food is from, and if they are concerned about GMOs, they want to know the manufacturer is making their food without GMOs...saying so is not enough.
Sourcing is an issue for many of these producing. Securing a steady source of antibiotic chickens in massive quantities can be difficult. Chickens will get sick. Farmers risk loosing a lot of chickens if illness is passed through the flock. GMO free is difficult. Grains for example can be hard not to have small amounts of GMO product getting mixed in when you consider the long supply chain from the field to processor with numerous silos and trucks all along the way.
For companies that handle 'free from' and traditional ingredients, managing inventories of numerous ingredients and applying controls to prevent cross contact can be difficult. Then managing production to make sure there is proper handling of in-process materials, proper clean-out of equipment between production runs, and then labeling.
The positive is the added margin that goes along with these products. If one is willing to put in the extra controls, there are people willing to pay a premium.
Bloomburg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-09/-free-from-foods-are-changing-the-way-your-meals-are-produced
‘Free-From’ Foods Are Changing the Way Your Meals Are Produced
By Jen Skerritt, Megan Durisin, and Craig Giammona
September 09, 2018 5:00 AM Updated on September 10, 2018 6:00 AM
Friday, September 8, 2017
Plant-based Hamburger With Bioengineered Soy Meat Protein Questioned on Allergen Issue
The primary ingredient in the plant based hamburger (yeah, a fake burger) is being questioned due to the fact that it may be an allergen. According to this article, the company had tested the bioengineered soy leghemoglobin for safety, but the FDA may still have concerns.
My concerns are a little different.....
Food Business News
http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Business_News/2017/09/Impossible_Burger_environmenta.aspx?ID={5C9956A8-4832-4A78-A853-05ECE1FF3D41}&e=mwb124@psu.edu
Impossible Burger, environmentalists clash over key ingredient
Sept. 5, 2017 -
by Erica Shaffer
My concerns are a little different.....
Food Business News
http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Business_News/2017/09/Impossible_Burger_environmenta.aspx?ID={5C9956A8-4832-4A78-A853-05ECE1FF3D41}&e=mwb124@psu.edu
Impossible Burger, environmentalists clash over key ingredient
Sept. 5, 2017 -
by Erica Shaffer
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Vermont Drops Enforcement of GMO Labeling
As part of an agreement, Vermont announced that it would not enforce its law requiring the mandatory labeling of GMO foods. Put best by Pamela G. Bailey, president of GMA, the group who fought the law, “.......the Vermont law opens the door to states creating mandatory labeling requirements based on pseudo-science and web-fed hysteria......If this law is allowed to go into effect, it will disrupt food supply chains, confuse consumers and lead to higher food costs.”
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—September 8, 2016
http://www.pennstateaglaw.com/2016/09/agricultural-law-weekly-reviewseptember_8.html
GMO Labeling: GMA and Vermont Agree to Voluntarily Dismiss Litigation
Written by M. Sean High – Staff Attorney
On September 1, 2016, the United States District Court for the District of Vermont signed an order of voluntary dismissal in the state GMO labeling case Grocery Manufacturers Association v. Sorrell (Case No. 5:14-cv-117-cr, Document 161). According to the order, the parties agreed to voluntarily dismiss the action without prejudice because: (1) on July 29, 2016, President Obama signed into law S.764 which established a “National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard;” (2) on August 1, 2016, USDA stated that S.764 preempted states from requiring the labeling of any genetically engineered food or seed in interstate commerce; and (3) on August 2, 2016, Vermont’s Attorney General (Sorrell) announced that the state would no longer enforce Vermont Act 120 which required the labeling of food produced with genetic engineering.
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—September 8, 2016
http://www.pennstateaglaw.com/2016/09/agricultural-law-weekly-reviewseptember_8.html
GMO Labeling: GMA and Vermont Agree to Voluntarily Dismiss Litigation
Written by M. Sean High – Staff Attorney
On September 1, 2016, the United States District Court for the District of Vermont signed an order of voluntary dismissal in the state GMO labeling case Grocery Manufacturers Association v. Sorrell (Case No. 5:14-cv-117-cr, Document 161). According to the order, the parties agreed to voluntarily dismiss the action without prejudice because: (1) on July 29, 2016, President Obama signed into law S.764 which established a “National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard;” (2) on August 1, 2016, USDA stated that S.764 preempted states from requiring the labeling of any genetically engineered food or seed in interstate commerce; and (3) on August 2, 2016, Vermont’s Attorney General (Sorrell) announced that the state would no longer enforce Vermont Act 120 which required the labeling of food produced with genetic engineering.
Friday, May 15, 2015
USDA Develops Program for Certifying Food as GMO Free
USDA has developed a new program for certifying that a food is GMO free. There is a similar program in place for organic foods that would cover GMO free as well, but not for just GMO free.
The verification process would be paid by the companies, not the government.
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/14/usda-gmo-label_n_7284544.html
USDA Develops New GMO-Free Certification And Label For Foods
| By MARY CLARE JALONICK
Posted: 05/14/2015 12:47 pm EDT Updated: 05/14/2015 12:59 pm EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Agriculture Department has developed a new government certification and labeling for foods that are free of genetically modified ingredients.
USDA's move comes as some consumer groups push for mandatory labeling of the genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
The certification is the first of its kind and would be voluntary — and companies would have to pay for it. If approved, the foods would be able to carry a "USDA Process Verified" label along with a claim that they are free of GMOs.
The verification process would be paid by the companies, not the government.
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/14/usda-gmo-label_n_7284544.html
USDA Develops New GMO-Free Certification And Label For Foods
| By MARY CLARE JALONICKPosted: 05/14/2015 12:47 pm EDT Updated: 05/14/2015 12:59 pm EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Agriculture Department has developed a new government certification and labeling for foods that are free of genetically modified ingredients.
USDA's move comes as some consumer groups push for mandatory labeling of the genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
The certification is the first of its kind and would be voluntary — and companies would have to pay for it. If approved, the foods would be able to carry a "USDA Process Verified" label along with a claim that they are free of GMOs.
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