If a non-organic packaged good has one of these ingredients listed below it could be GMO or genetically engineered.
Look for Non-GMO Project certified products and ingredients that are listed as 100% organic on labels to avoid all GMOs in your diet.
▪ Aspartame (Also Called Aminosweet, Nutrasweet, Equal Spoonful, Canderel, Benevia, E951 (U.K. & European Code))
▪ Baking Powder
▪ Canola Oil (Rapeseed Oil)
▪ Caramel Color
▪ Cellulose
▪ Citric Acid
▪ Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)
▪ Colorose
▪ Condensed Milk
▪ Confectioners Sugar
▪ Corn Flour
▪ Corn Masa
▪ Corn Meal
▪ Corn Oil
▪ Corn Sugar
▪ Corn Syrup
▪ Cornstarch
▪ Cottonseed Oil
▪ Cyclodextrin
▪ Cystein
▪ Dextrin
▪ Dextrose
▪ Diacetyl
▪ Diglyceride
▪ Erythritol
▪ Equal
▪ Food Starch
▪ Fructose (Any Form)
▪ Glucose
▪ Glutamate
▪ Glutamic Acid
▪ Glycerides
▪ Glycerin
▪ Glycerol
▪ Glycerol Monooleate
▪ Glycine
▪ Hemicellulose
▪ High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
▪ Hydrogenated Starch
▪ Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
▪ Inositol
▪ Inverse Syrup
▪ Inversol
▪ Invert Sugar
▪ Isoflavones
▪ Lactic Acid
▪ Lecithin
▪ Leucine
▪ Lysine
▪ Malitol
▪ Malt
▪ Malt Syrup
▪ Malt Extract
▪ Maltodextrin
▪ Maltose
▪ Mannitol
▪ Methylcellulose
▪ Milk Powder
▪ Milo Starch
▪ Modified Food Starch
▪ Modified Starch
▪ Mono And Diglycerides
▪ Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
▪ Nutrasweet
▪ Oleic Acid
▪ Phenylalanine
▪ Phytic Acid
▪ Protein Isolate
▪ Shoyu
▪ Sorbitol
▪ Soy Flour
▪ Soy Isolates
▪ Soy Lecithin
▪ Soy Milk
▪ Soy Oil
▪ Soy Protein
▪ Soy Protein Isolate
▪ Soy Sauce
▪ Starch
▪ Stearic Acid
▪ Sugar (Unless Specified As Cane Sugar)
▪ Tamari
▪ Tempeh
▪ Teriyaki Marinades
▪ Textured Vegetable Protein
▪ Threonine
▪ Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
▪ Tofu
▪ Trehalose
▪ Triglyceride
▪ Vegetable Fat
▪ Vegetable Oil
▪ Vitamin B12
▪ Vitamin E
▪ Whey
▪ Whey Powder
▪ Xanthan Gum
This is such a helpful list. In a post of mine about organic, conventional, and GM foods, I referred readers back to this page. Thanks so much for your wonderful work!
http://www.teacheatlove.com/2013/01/conventional-and-organic-whats.html
Thank you for this! I printed it out. It’s overwhelming… looking at this list you wonder what in the world you CAN eat (aside from the obvious organic fruits and vegetables)! I am an avid label reader but there is just so much to remember, and now I’ll be able to whip out the list!
I’m so glad to have this concise list. I have a question concerning Vit B12 and Vit E. Are they GMO because they are typically synthetic? I though Vit E was a natural preservative. Are any preservatives organic?
this is awesome, thanks!!
I’ve found baking powder that says it’s non-GMO, but it does not say it’s organic. I’m guessing this is better than nothing?
I’m curious where are you getting this info from? Any sources that you can reference would be great. I’m all for organic and non gmo but if I quote this list to my friends without sources they might think I’m crazy. Thanks.
Why do you know include hybridized dwarf wheat in this list? Most of our current processed wheat comes from this genetically modified grain, even though it’s not GM in the sense that it was gene-spliced. But it in no way resembles einkorn or emmer wheat types that are actually of a more natural and wild variety.
So if a product says ‘organic’ but it has canola oil listed in the ingredients, is it GMO?
Does it is say organic canola oil? If so, it’s not GMO.
It doesn’t. So how can they put ‘organic’ on the box?
Because these company’s pay millions of dollars to the government so they can say that on the front of the package
If it says ’100% organic’, is it really?
Because industry pressured congress to legislate that foods labeled “Organic” can mean up to 5% non-organic ingredients and “made with Organic” can include up to 30% non-organic.
Source: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3003509
If something isn’t labeled as non GMO does it always have GMO? And do can organic foods have GMO?
Hi Abby – if a product is certified non-GMO or 100% organic, it does not contain GMO ingredients. If it is not and if it contains any of the ingredients listed above in the post, then it most likely contains GMO. Hope this helps!
I was wondering if yeast extract (in a food that does not need yeast) and natural flavors needs to be added? They are the alternative form for MSG in foods. Just a thought. But, I know there is a line between GMO and just bad ingredients…so not sure where this falls.
Susan – avoid MSG (and all it’s hidden names) and natural flavors! http://foodbabe.com/2012/01/22/dear-jillian-michaels-shut-your-lips-about-pop-chips/
http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/01/chemical-warfare-with-natural-flavor/
What are your thoughts on safflower oil?
Hi Abby – Food Babe’s recommended oils are coconut oil or sesame oil for high heat cooking and extra virgin olive oil for low heat cooking or no heat like salad dressings.