Non-GMO Ingredients are Crucial to Plant-Based Food Consumers, Says Verification Body

Consumer preferences for plant-based foods are shifting towards non-GMO ingredients, according to the Non-GMO Project. The organisation reports that Non-GMO Project Verified products make up 57% of total plant-based food sales in the US and have seen a 9% year-on-year growth. This consumer preference is driven by a growing awareness that GM ingredients may offset the perceived benefits of plant-based foods, with many people believing that GMO agriculture is detrimental to the environment.

Despite this trend, biotech companies are accelerating the development of genetically modified alt-protein products. The most famous example is Impossible Foods, which uses a GM yeast ingredient called heme in its plant-based meat products. The Non-GMO Project asserts that GM alt-protein products remain largely unregulated and unlabeled in the US and Canada, while highlighting the use of precision fermentation technology in creating animal-free dairy products.