Nature's Path Products Bear New “Non-Gmo Verified” Seal
Richmond, BC (October, 2010) – Nature’s Path Organic Foods, the number one organic cereal manufacturer in North America and an early supporter and board member of the Non-GMO Project, is pleased to announce that Nature’s Path products have passed a rigorous, independent verification process and will now bear the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal. This seal lets consumers know Nature’s Path products are the best choices in order to avoid genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
“From the outset, Nature’s Path has been committed to organics and working in harmony with nature, and we have always been opposed to the use of genetically modified organisms in any food,” says Arran Stephens, President and Founder of Nature’s Path Organic Foods. “Our customers have very real concerns about feeding their families GMOs; we want to give them every assurance about our products so we chose to undergo the verification process to earn the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal.”
GMOs are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology which allow DNA from one species to be inserted into another species in a laboratory, creating combinations of plants, animals, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature. For instance, many food plants are engineered to be resistant to pesticides, or even to contain its own pesticides within the plant cells.
There haven’t been any long terms tests to determine the health risks associated with consuming GMOs, which many health-conscious shoppers find to be cause for concern. In 30 other countries around the world including Australia, Japan and all of the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production of GMOs because they are not considered proven safe. Additionally, GMOs can cross pollinate with non-GMO plants wiping out centuries of farmer knowledge and having detrimental effects on biodiversity and environmental health.
“When people consume GMOs – which, according to the Grocery Manufacturers’ Association, may be as much as 80 percent of packaged foods in the U.S.– they are essentially letting themselves be guinea pigs in a GMO experiment. We don’t know what GMOs will do to us in the long run and we don’t want our customers to find out the hard way!” says Stephens. “People can feel confident that they are choosing foods made without GMO ingredients when they eat any product bearing the Non GMO Project Verified Seal.”
The Non-GMO Project Verified Seal means that a product has been produced according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance, including testing of risk ingredients. The program systematically provides for the evaluation of products, ingredients and manufacturing facilities to determine compliance with the Non-GMO Project Standard. Testing is performed at any number of places in the production chain (commonly after harvest) and must indicate that the ingredient is in conformance with the Non-GMO Project Standard.
“Nature’s Path is a true leader in supporting people’s right to choose safe, healthy non-GMO food,” says Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project. “Everyone has a right to know and trust what they’re eating, and with so many Non-GMO Project Verified Nature’s Path items now available, there is no shortage of great Non-GMO options at breakfast time!”
USDA certified organic foods must be grown and processed without the use of GMOs, so consumers’ best assurance that no GMOs were used in the production of their food is to eat organic, however no GMO testing has been required for the certified organic seal. The new Non-GMO Project seal will add another level of confidence by offering independent verification and GMO controls for products. The seal will begin to appear on Nature’s Path products as of fall 2010.
About Nature’s Path
Founded in 1985, Nature’s Path Organic Foods is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia and employs over 350 people at its four facilities in Canada and the United States. The privately held, family-owned company produces breakfast foods and snacks sold in specialty foods stores and retailers in 40 countries around the world. The company’s innovative brands include Nature’s Path®, Flax Plus, EnviroKidz®, and Optimum®. Visit Nature’s Path online at www.naturespath.com and www.facebook.com/naturespath. For the latest news and updates, follow us on twitter: @naturespath and @envirokidz.
About the Non-GMO Project
The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit multi-stakeholder collaboration committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers, and providing verified non-GMO choices. Find out more at http://www.nongmoproject.org and at http://www.facebook.com/nongmoproject