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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S. — Furthering its commitment to help food and beverage customers address growing consumer demand for non-GMO product offerings, Cargill has initiated an identity preservation process and several additional Non-GMO Project Verified food ingredients.
Cargill’s KnownOrigins identity preservation process delivers transparency so food and beverage manufacturers can efficiently source the ingredients they need to deliver non-GMO products to consumers.
“Cargill is uniquely positioned to help our customers translate growing consumer demand for non-GMO products into profitable growth,” said Lea Buerman, Cargill Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory manager. “Cargill’s combination of the industry’s broadest portfolio of non-GMO ingredients, well-established crop sourcing programs and our KnownOrigins™ identity preservation process enables our customers to scale production with confidence and get to market quickly with new non-GMO products.”
Cargill’s KnownOrigins process features robust testing, approval and evaluation protocols that enable food and beverage manufacturers to make non-GMO claims with the confidence of knowing that Cargill’s non-GMO ingredients meet the agreed-to non-GMO standard, the company said. Some features included in the KnownOrigins process are:
- Traceability back to producers – Each farmer in Cargill’s non-GMO producer program is identifiable so that non-GMO soybeans, corn and high oleic canola can be traced back to producers. The company’s corn and soybean non-GMO producer programs are based in North America; the high oleic canola producer program is based in Australia.
- Testing to verify non-GMO status – Testing is performed on either harvest bin composites, incoming truck deliveries, or the finished ingredient to ensure that Cargill’s non-GMO ingredient products comply with the agreed-to non-GMO standard (e.g. Non-GMO Project Verification, European Union).
- Stringent raw material evaluation and approval protocols are used for all raw materials and processing aids so that Cargill customers can make a non-GMO claim with the confidence of knowing that Cargill’s non-GMO ingredients meet the agreed-to non-GMO standard.
- Cargill’s specific segregation, cleaning and flushing procedures protect against cross-contact with GMO ingredients and ensure that co-mingling levels are within the agreed-to non-GMO standard.
- Cargill’s non-GMO production facilities operate under food Good Manufacturing Practices that have been verified by industry-leading Global Food Safety Initiative certification agencies.
- Internal review by Cargill’s legal, regulatory and food safety experts means that Cargill customers can make a non-GMO claim with the confidence of knowing that Cargill’s non-GMO ingredients meet the agreed-to non-GMO standard.
Cargill has recently received Non-GMO Project Verification of the following food ingredients: Stevia sweeteners, dry corn (mill, grits, flour), glucose heirloom syrup, corn syrup solids, dextrin, maltodextrin, modified food starch, native starch, mid oleic sunflower oil, Clear Valley High Oleic Canola Oil, soybean oil, chicory inulin, and erythritol (using corn feedstock). Previously announced Cargill ingredients with Non-GMO Project Verification include: erythritol (using cane sugar feedstock), cane sugar, Clear Valley High Oleic Sunflower Oil, and Clear Valley Expeller Pressed High Oleic Sunflower Oil.
“Non-GMO Project Verification remains the most trusted emblem for consumers seeking non-GMO food options,” Buerman said. “We continue to work closely with the Non-GMO Project and hope to have even more Cargill ingredients verified in the near future.”
NSF International is the Technical Administrator for Cargill's Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients. NSF International is a global independent organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences, and consumer goods industries.
