Which Foods Have Genetically Modified Ingredients

Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs are increasingly finding their way into common, everyday foods. While most GMOs are plant products, recently domestic salmon has been approved to be modified. Even though the hamburger you ate for lunch probably did not come from a genetically modified cow the cow itself ate feed that included GMO grains.

Currently the United States Department of Agriculture lists about 50 GMO plant species that have completed the government requirements and may now be used commercially

Although there are only 50 plants that are commonly genetically modified there are millions of products that contain ingredients from these plants. In fact, these plants are used in so many products that it is almost impossible to avoid them. Virtually every person in the United States, or who has visited the United States, has been exposed to these controversial products.

Some current statistics show the following crops grown in the United States have the highest percentage of GMO use:

• 75% of corn
• 88% of cotton
• 91% of soybeans

These crops are processed and used in several different forms.

• Canola (rapeseed) oil
• Corn meal
• Corn oil
• Corn starch
• Corn syrup (including high fructose corn syrup)
• Cottonseed oil
• Soybean oil
• Soy protein

Currently the United States Department of Agriculture does not require genetically modified ingredients to be listed on the label. It is estimated that over 70% of the food eaten in the United States contains some GMO ingredients.

The only foods that may not contain GMOs are organic foods. Organic meat must come from animals that ate a GMO free diet. Organic breads and baked goods cannot contain flours and grains made with GMOs – no organic food can contain any amount of a genetically modified ingredient.

Are you serving GMO foods to your family? If you aren't eating organically the odds are that you are eating these products with every meal.

While animals are not yet genetically modified, with the possible exception of domestic salmon, they are fed products that have GMO ingredients. If you can't afford organic meat you can decrease your chances of getting GMO tainted meat by buying grass fed beef, wild caught meat or products labeled "Non-GMO".

• Beef
• Chicken
• Dairy
• Domestic Bison
• Domestic duck and geese
• Eggs
• Farm raised fish
• Gelatin
• Pork

Any farm raised animal product that is not organic will more than likely have come from an animal fed with GMO products.

There are thousands of GMO ingredients. It takes longer to list which foods have GMOs than to list those that don't. Remember that no organic food item can contain GMO ingredients so if it is labeled 100% Organic then it is always GMO free.

This should be considered an abbreviated list.

• Aspartame
• Baking powder
• Canola oil
• Confectioners' sugar
• Corn syrup
• Corn starch
• Corn oil
• Cornmeal
• Cottonseed oil
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Isoflavone
• Lecithin
• MSG
• Glucose
• Soy meal
• Soy protein isolate
• Sugar (any that is not marked "Pure Cane Sugar")
• Tempeh
• Tofu
• Vegetable oil
• Vitamin B-12
• Vitamin E
• Xanthan gum

Nearly all of the large food companies use GMO ingredients. You may be surprised to know that even some natural foods companies use genetically modified ingredients in their products. Even companies that produce baby formula and baby foods use these products. The following should not be considered a complete list but only an example of the widespread use of genetically modified products. Remember, all domestically raised meat, poultry and fish products should be expected to have been raised on GMO feeds unless the product is labeled as 100% organic or GMO Free.

Infant Formulas and Baby Foods

• Beech-nut
• Enfamil
• Isomil
• Good Start
• Similac

Other Products

Some of the other companies that produce GMO products are:

• Aunt Jemima
• Betty Crocker
• Boca
• Blue Sky
• Campbells
• Crisco
• Coca Cola
• Dannon
• Duncan Hines
• Eggo
• Frito Lay
• Heinz
• Hershey
• Hostess
• Kellogg
• Keebler
• Kraft
• Land O Lakes
• Libbys
• Lifesavers
• Marie Callender
• Morningstar Farms
• Nabisco
• Nestle
• Nature Valley
• Ocean Spray
• Pepperidge Farm
• Peter Pan
• Procter and Gamble
• Progresso
• Quaker
• Smuckers
• Skippy
• Stouffers
• Yoplait

That is a long list isn't it? Believe it or not, it is nowhere near complete.

In this modern age it is virtually impossible to be completely GMO free but you can reduce your family's exposure to genetically modified organisms in foods.

• Buy only 100% organic
• Look for foods labeled Non-GMO
• Most vegetables and fruits sold in the produce section are GMO free
• Some Papayas that are grown in Hawaii are genetically modified
• All highly processed and convenience foods should be suspected to contain GMOs – cook from scratch as much as possible

Educate Yourself

Most of all, it is important to educate yourself about the foods you eat. If you don't understand the outcry about GMOs take a few hours and do some Internet research. Read until your questions are answered to your satisfaction.

For more in depth information about GMO products and the companies that use them you will want to bookmark The True Food Network. This website lists foods and companies, and has numerous well written articles to give you all the information you may be looking for.

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