03.03.14
Post Foods has gained Non-GMO verification for its Original Grape Nuts cereal and General Mills said it has made adjustments to its supply chain so that Cheerios will be produced without ingredients containing GMOs, though the product has not been certified Non-GMO.
According to Post Foods, “Grape-Nuts Original still contains the signature crunch, wholesome ingredients, and 49 grams of whole grains you know and love. And now the Non-GMO Project seal will appear on our box, confirming our recipe and suppliers do not contain GMO ingredients.”
General Mills issued this statement, “It’s the unique and simple nature of original Cheerios that made this possible—and even that required significant investment over nearly a year.” The company added, “we were able to change how we source and handle ingredients to ensure that the corn starch for original Cheerios comes only from non-GMO corn, and our sugar is only non-GMO pure cane sugar.”
Within the past year GMO Inside, a campaign of the national non-profit organization Green America, started calling on consumers to put pressure on General Mills to make Cheerios without GMOs due to concerns over the health and environmental impacts of GMOs. Cheerios is a top selling cereal in the U.S. and often one of the first solid foods fed to children. As soon as the campaign launched, tens of thousands of consumers started flooding Cheerios’ Facebook page with concerned comments regarding GMOs in Cheerios.
Green America Corporate Responsibility Director Todd Larsen commented, “Removing GMOs from original Cheerios is an important victory in getting GMOs out of our food supply and an important first step for General Mills. Original Cheerios in its famous yellow box will now be non-GMO and this victory sends a message to all food companies that consumers are increasingly looking for non-GMO products and companies need to meet that demand.”
According to Post Foods, “Grape-Nuts Original still contains the signature crunch, wholesome ingredients, and 49 grams of whole grains you know and love. And now the Non-GMO Project seal will appear on our box, confirming our recipe and suppliers do not contain GMO ingredients.”
General Mills issued this statement, “It’s the unique and simple nature of original Cheerios that made this possible—and even that required significant investment over nearly a year.” The company added, “we were able to change how we source and handle ingredients to ensure that the corn starch for original Cheerios comes only from non-GMO corn, and our sugar is only non-GMO pure cane sugar.”
Within the past year GMO Inside, a campaign of the national non-profit organization Green America, started calling on consumers to put pressure on General Mills to make Cheerios without GMOs due to concerns over the health and environmental impacts of GMOs. Cheerios is a top selling cereal in the U.S. and often one of the first solid foods fed to children. As soon as the campaign launched, tens of thousands of consumers started flooding Cheerios’ Facebook page with concerned comments regarding GMOs in Cheerios.
Green America Corporate Responsibility Director Todd Larsen commented, “Removing GMOs from original Cheerios is an important victory in getting GMOs out of our food supply and an important first step for General Mills. Original Cheerios in its famous yellow box will now be non-GMO and this victory sends a message to all food companies that consumers are increasingly looking for non-GMO products and companies need to meet that demand.”