>>>Labeling GE Foods >>>Supermarkets and GE Foods
The True Food Shoppers’ Guide to Avoiding GMOs
Download our NEW True Food Shopper’s Guide to avoiding GE foods, updated for 2011, or get our True Food Shoppers Guide mobile application for iPhone and Android! The mobile app was created to help you find and avoid GE ingredients wherever you shop. Our guide gives you valuable information on common GE ingredients, brands to look for, and look out for, and common sense tips to keep you in the know. Stop shopping in the dark and download your new pocket shoppers’ guide today! Check out this video review of the app on livingmaxwell.com.
Get it for free on iTunes (for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad) or Android Market by searching for “True Food.”
Don’t have a compatible mobile phone? Download our NEW printable True Food Shoppers Guide, updated for 2011 instead!
Go behind the label and get the facts on genetically engineered foods.
Today, thousands of products on supermarket shelves are made with ingredients from genetically modified (also known as genetically engineered [GE]) crops. But GM foods are not labeled in the U.S., despite warnings from doctors and scientists that these foods may not be safe in the diet or the environment. This lack of mandatory labeling can make it difficult to determine which products are made with GM ingredients and which are not. The True Food Shoppers Guide is designed to give you the tools you need to make informed purchasing decisions.
The True Food Shoppers Guide also arms you with valuable information regarding common GM ingredients, as well as brands to look for, and to look out for. The application includes a “Four Simple Tips” section, which offers easy ways to avoid GM ingredients, a “Supermarkets and GMOs” section to help consumers identify GM and non-GMO private-label store brands, and a rbGH and rbGH-free dairy guide.
In addition to a list of brands that produce foods with no GM content, the application also offers contact information for companies that do use GM ingredients. This feature enables consumers to personally voice their opposition to the use of GM foods directly to the parties involved. As a result, the app serves not only as a shopping guide and teaching tool, but one that can be used for widespread advocacy as well. The app also has a “Take Action” section allowing people to contact state and federal agencies and officials to demand better regulatory oversight, safety testing and labeling laws for GM foods and crops.
App Features:
- Our “Four Simple Tips” section gives you easy ways to avoid genetically modified ingredients in any product
- “What’s New” brings you an always-updated feed of the Center for Food Safety’s latest news and campaign developments on GMOs and other important food issues. You can even share these articles and announcements with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Digg and more, right from the app!
- Our “Action” center brings you our latest action alerts on simple things you can do to demand True Food!
- “Supermarkets and GMOs” lists major supermarket chains across the US and their policies on GMOs and rbGH use. Here you can find non-gmo and rbGH-free store brands, and supermarkets that are entirely non-gmo in their private-label brands!
- You can browse the Shoppers Guide by category (16 categories in all) in a simple “Green” and “Red” list format, or search for products by brand name or food type
- The Shoppers Guide also includes the ability to call or email companies listed in the “Red” (those who do not avoid GM ingredients in their products) to let them know you will not buy their products until they drop GMOs
- Learn about the risks of gm crops and foods, the benefits of and where to buy organics, gm crops in development, rbGH, and more in “More Info”
- Join the CFS True Food Network or our new Mobile Activists list and get updates and action alerts on the most pressing food issues via email or text message! We are over 100,000 members strong, and growing. Add your voice!
- Connect with the CFS True Food Network on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
The True Food Shoppers Guide was compiled because you have the right to know what’s in your food!
The Guide was compiled primarily from direct communications with food producers. In some cases, we received company policy statements from consumers who passed these on to us. In addition to written statements, we spoke to many company representatives to clarify or assess their position. Products on the RED list contain ingredients that come from the most common GE crops (corn, soy, canola, cotton). Companies with products on this list have confirmed that their products may have or are likely to be made with GE ingredients, or have not denied using GE foods when given the opportunity to do so. Companies on the GREEN list have made a concerted effort to avoid GE ingredients and have company policies asserting their position on avoiding GE foods.
As ingredients change in products all the time, the best thing is to check the ingredients list of the products you buy often. Keep a look out for:
Corn: corn oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, corn meal
Soy: soy protein, soy lecithin, soy oil, soy sauce, soy isolates
Canola: canola oil
Cotton: cottonseed oil
where is your pocket shoppers guide? I want one desperately!
Oops! We seem to have had a technical problem with the image and link. It is fixed now, so just click on the picture of the shoppers guide and you can save the guide, or print it (8 1/2 x 11, landscape).
Please, let me know how to print the list. I just need it!!!
nispero – Just click on the picture of the shoppers guide above, and it shoudld pull up another window containing a PDF file of the guide in 8.5 x 11 format so you can print it. Make sure you choose “lanscape” (not portrait) when you print. Hope that helps!
How come strawberries are not on your pocket guide ??
napabelle,
Thank you for your great question! We have not included strawberries in the pocket Shoppers’ Guide because there are no genetically engineered strawberries on the market. While GE strawberries have been experimented with, they have thankfully not been commercialized, so you will not find them for sale.
Because the guide is small in order to be portable, we have limited the listings to products that contain the four major GE crop ingredients: corn, soy, cottonseed oil, and canola oil.
For more information on GE crop field trails and GE-free fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and grains, check out this page: http://truefoodnow.org/genetically-engineered-foods/ge-crops/. If you scroll down towards the bottom of the page you’ll find a section called “crops in the pipeline” which lists experimental and commercialized varieties.
Aren’t tomatoes now predominantly GE? What about potatoes?
[...] “True Food Network” has a supermarket pocket shoppers guide that you can print and take with you to the grocery [...]
Hi there, I live in Canada. It seems your shoppers guide to avoiding GE Foods references grocery stores in the states. Is there anywhere I can find that has a guide to Canadian GE foods? Do you know if Canada is required to label its food as GE? Is there a comparable True Food Now website for Canada?
Thanks
Sorry it took me so long to respond to this post! I guess it got lost in the shuffle somewhere. Greenpeace Canada used to have a great Shoppers’ Guide, but I don’t see it on their site anymore. The best I found was a list of where to buy organics in Canada: http://www.cog.ca/buyorganic.htm. You may want to contact Greenpeace Canada and see if they still produce the guide, or if they know of anyone else who does. Good luck!
[...] little frightening. To free yourself from as much Genetically Modified food as possible, download True Food’s Shopper’s Guide To Avoiding GM Foods, a handy list to have on your next grocery [...]
Is your supermarket pocket shoppers guide updated?
I thought many conventional rice crops were, and wheat is ready to be planted now.
Today’s date is 23 June 2009
This is terrifying what Monsanto and the Bush-Obama Administrations are doing. I’m chemically sensitive and dependent upon organic food, which I’ve ingested for more than 20 years.
At nearly 70, with a total knee and hip replacement, there is no way I can grow my own food. What good is health care reform when there is a potential for this new food to cause more damage to our health. Physicians aren’t given the right to know, alike the rest of us. And, most physicians know zero about pesticide poisoning or what questions to ask…so I’ve learned.
Thanks, again.
Thanks for your comment, Bunny Snow. GM wheat and Rice have both been approved for commercialization, but neither have been planted commercially in the US due to farmer and citizen rejection. Monsanto’s GM RoundUp Ready wheat is the closest to commercialization, but to date, US and Canadian far,ers are still predominantly opposed to its introduction. The primary GM crops on the market now are corn, soy, canola, and cotton (cottonseed oil is in lots of processed foods). There is a small amount of GE sweet (fresh) corn, yellow crokkneck (summer) squash and radiccio, but these are uncommon. Additionally, about 50% of the papaya grown in Hawaii is GM, so you can look for papaya grown elsewhere, organic papaya, or avoid it altogether.
Hi,
I can’t get to the guide. When i click on the picture I go to the Center for Food Safety. org. My guide is from 2001. I assume you have a newer one, no?
Thanks.
I just uploaded our latest version. You can download it here: http://truefoodnow.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/web_new-ge-booklet.pdf
[...] [...]
Australian citizens have a clear choice marked on each product, either GMO or non GMO..But here in the the Land of the Free, our government does not have to label products. Why?
What studies have been made and what were the results, before we added GMOs to our foods?
I am so happy to have finally found a guide! I would love the pocket guide as an ipod app so I can scroll it at the store. I am so glad to have found this website.
Congratulations on getting that app done!
[...] and I finished the film we hopped online to try and find a list of GMO-Free Foods. We found a Non-GMO Shopping Guide, which lists brands of food that are known to not contain genetic modifications. I was shocked to [...]
[...] so watch out. The True Food Network has a helpful pamphlet that you can download with about 75 “Invisible GM Ingredients” to look out [...]
THANK YOU SOO MUCH FOR THIS WEBSITE!
I am an undergrad in California and I am doing research paper on the GMO’s..I wanted to make a list of the food that has GMO’s on our campus. I have been struggling for weeks. There is NO information on what has and does not have?!?!
THANKS
Because there is no mandatory labelling of GMOs in the U.S., the best thing to do is check out our Non-GMO Shopping Guide for tips to avoid GMOs. With campus meals it is more difficult since you don’t often see the package, but you can ask campus food service where they purchase their food products and inquire with that company. Please feel free to send us an email at info@truefoodnow.org if you’d like more information or help on how to move forward.
I’ve read that the agricultural industries of India and the U.S. want to put nanomachines in all food crops. Will you actively oppose this? Got petitions?
We have a campaign called NanoAction that focuses exclusively on nanotechnology and synthetic biology. You can check it out and take action here” http://www.nanoaction.org
Is it true that companies whose products do NOT contain GMO ingredients, are not allowed to label as such? I live in Canada and have definitely noticed that I cannot find items that actually SAY they do not include GMOs. I try to buy orgnic as much as possible because that seems to be my only chance of avoiding GMOs as much as possible!! Great website – thank you!
[...] Download the CFS Shoppers Guide [...]
Hi, where is the pocket guide? this is too big to carry around. There has to be smaller version to carry around with you. Its too much!!
Do you have a list of non-GE corn, soy, canola and cotton brands? I love edename, corn tortilla chips, soy milk, corn bread, etc. How can I make sure that I’m not consuming GE product and still enjoy these staples?
This was an interesting read, I’m always on the lookout for great articles and blog ideas so thanks. I’ve bookmarked this article so I’ll stay in touch!
For gardeners a list of seed companies who do not sell GMO seeds and/or buy from Monsanto (or the companies they own) would be very helpful. I have contacted some on my own but a list here would be great!
Where in the shoppers guide does it list products made with non GMO corn and soy?
None of your links to the Shoppers Guide to GMO’s work. I wanted to link your shoppers guide to my blob but it is not working. Any suggestions?
I started using the Shopping Guide and had trouble finding several non-GMO brands of my staple foods in local grocery chains (or were not in the may have GMO category). However, luckily Trader Joe’s brand is non-GMO. The stores website states “Our customers can be assured that all products in Trader Joe’s private label are sourced from non-genetically modified ingredients.”
http://www.traderjoes.com/action_issues.asp#ModifiedFood
What can be made of PLU numbers on produce? Can they be trusted in the manner in which I was described them to advertise that- four digit code=conventionally grown, five digit code beginning with a 9=organic, five digit code beginning with an 8= GMO
Thank you for this. I was just talking about this subject and wondering were I could find some info on this. thank you
I’m a Biotechnology student at a university right now, and we are currently running an experiment to test whether foods we bring in contain GMOs. I’m almost afraid to test some of the things that I eat, mainly because I already know that half of the foods I eat contain GMOs in the form of corn and soybean derivatives.
I do support Biotechnology, or else I wouldn’t be going into the field, but I also believe that there needs to be better standards set for their use and human consumption. The food giants (and I’m in a rural area, so I’m surrounded by ConAgra and Monsanto fields) want us to believe that all this is safe for human consumption, and it may very well be true, but the problem is the same for both sides of the debate: not enough testing is done to determine whether or not these foods are safe.
I honestly believe that the US government should require foods that have been genetically modified to be labelled. That may sound odd coming from someone who is likely to move into a field related to genetic modification, but I want to know what is in my food. I want to know if there are bits of other species in my potatoes or lettuce. I want to know if the hay and grain I’m feeding my horse is GMO (luckily, due to a lawsuit filed in CA, there is no GMO alfalfa produced currently in the US since 2007, although the food giants are fighting it), and if anything that I consume is GMO, I want to be able to find a website on my packaging with a link to the test results posted for any consumer with concerns to see. One would think that these food giants that are so eager to introduce and laud the benefits of genetically modifying our food would do something like this to prove to the concerned consumers out there that yes, their product is safe.
Makes one wonder, right?
What a relief to locate a blog post that’s finally really worth reading through! I’ve been seeking about about this topic yet folks just set trash posts, or small unreadable posts. I have viewed a couple vids on youtube but it is now the same as reading through a good article. Great job! Sorry for my crooked english.
Does this list apply only to foods grown in the US? You stated to look for the Big 4 as culprits, but aren’t some products such as GMO rice imported? So unless a product is certified organic, labeled GMO free, or in the case of rice or wheat GROWN, not just packaged in the US, there is no “guarantee” a product such a rice or wheat does not contain GMO, correct? Sadly, I would bet much of the organic crop is contaminated from cross pollination, too.
I am from Russia, but live in USA as well. GMO-products are not allowed in Russia. And I was afraid of eating and feeding my child GMO in USA . People must know what they eat and pay money for. Thank you for the Shoppers Guide and an opportunity to join the people who care about the future.
Great posting, thanks loads!
Hello! Thank you so much for your site!!! People must know the truth what in theirs foods!!! I need to know if Pompeian Canola oils is GM??? Thanks a lot!!!
USAToday says that potatoes laced with gmo pesticides, can now be considered organic. So potatoes can be labeled organic that contain gmo ingredients. How will the shopper’s guide handle this?
[...] Center for Food Safety has published the pocket-sized Non-GMO Shopping Guide that lists products and companies that produce GMO and non-GMO foods-as well as the “hidden [...]
I would really like some clarification around when a food product claims that it was ‘made in the US’. Did you know that in some countries you can claim ‘made in’ if the food has only been packaged there and destributed from there? It could have actually been made anywhere else in the world, but as long as the final stage of packaging occurs in that country, the producer can claim the ‘made in’ status.
Surely this is wrong? It is so misleading. Why is it all so confusing. Food is our daily basic, surely we have a right to a no nonsense simple and honest disclosure policy. Why oh why all the complications. Who does it benefit? oh yes, the people who are making the money from what we eat and put into our bodies. It’s such a shame.
Hey, only the truth from the truth. If more people only knew the truth about what is hidden it their food and their pets food would they consider looking further into what the government is doing to the masses without a blink of an eye. And those of us who do stand up and fight are knocked down and out by those who run the world with their money and clout. And many are just fired, or disappear. Thank you for informing the public about something they need to address. Read everything you can get your hands on about what is really in that can besides food, and plastic. And the seeds of the farmers who use to be the backbone of our nation have now taken a back seat to chemical companies who dictate what and when and where they can farm what the company says they can. If there is any real non GMO seeds left, they are certainly not in the hands of the farmers. What happen to democracy? This site should be on everyone’s list of a MUST. I hope you wake up enough people before it is too late to do anything. It seems that the European countries are much smarter than the US. Thank you again, and let us hope., as I do, that sooner than later someone will blow the real whistle on those that say they do no harm, but have built their empires by destroying the truth. It is a ruthless business, full of greed and deceit, and one that will continue to flourish until we as a nation go to war with the biotechnological companies and get them out of our food and human products for good… And, the people who fund them and lobby for chemicals rather than real safe foods.
Amen to your statement
Where does Mom’s Best brand cereals and products fall is this a safe GMO free food? http://momsbestnaturals.com/
See my answer to your other post on this.
I received some shoppers guides by mail…..but do not find a place on the site to order more……? can you direct me?
You can email us at info@truefoodnow.org to order more guides, or you can download a PDF version of the guide from our site.
I am curious whether or not Mom’s Best Naturals uses Non-GMO ingredients in their products? I would like to think that they don’t but you just never know these days!
Good question! They don’t mention anything about GMOs on their website, so the best thing to do would be to contact them and ask. I sent an email through their web contact form inquiring. I’ll let you know what I hear back from them. If you get any answers from the company, please be sure to share them with us!
That’s too bad about Mom’s best Naturals….good price, good product…evidently not the best practices…especially with Naturals in the product name…time to look for another affordable option!
Hi everyone I just want to let all of you know that there is a new project called The Non GMO Project @ http://www.nongmoproject.org. Check it out. They are starting a non gmo verification program where products will be labeled starting 10.10.10. They have a list of food companies that are in the process of being verified or are already verified.
It seems as if this shopping guide needs to be updated esp with Senomyx and how they can squeeze that into organic regulations. You can check more out @ http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2010/02/alert-splenda-to-be-senomyx-ed.html.
I just found out about this today… so you might want to check your organic’s parent companies to make sure they’re not doing this to you too.
Really sad with Mom’s Best Naturals Products… it’s really sad that this is what organic companies are doing already. This was published recently in the NY Times- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/business/29gmo.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2
[...] on to truefoodnow.org and download the shopper’s guide to ensure the packaged food I still buy non-organic isn’t [...]
For almost 3 years, we have provided healthy vending machines to schools across America. Our healthy vending machines include all natural, organic snacks with no artificial anything.
Miami Dade School District is our newest edition in this crusade to save our children. We have just placed 30 Healthy Vending Machines in 23 schools across Miami Dade.
At first, the children didn’t know what to make of the new healthy snacks, but as time went on, more and more kids were experimenting with the products and spreading the word that not only can you snack healthy but that healthy snacks can taste great.
We are joining fight against childhood obesity and we beleive that together we can win this battle. Change is not always easy, therefore we are very proud of the kids for making healthier choices.
Woodstock Natural Vending
Great job! keep up the good work
I find it odd that you would post yourself as a “healthy” snack vender. Posting the term “organic” on processed foods does not make it healthy. In essence you just replaced one candy bar with another one (Cliff Bars).
After watching Food, Inc., and my own extensive research on the internet I have thrown away about 90% of ALL of my food. I’m shocked, disgusted and most of all PISSED OFF that I have been feeding this crap unknowingly to my family for years.
My weekend plans are a trip to Whole Foods along with a list of various Organic Farms in my local area to visit and buy from. AND the beginning plans of our own garden with organic heirloom seeds and transplants.
And we wonder why we have a generation of children plagued with diabetes, ADHD and autism and for the first time EVER have a life expectancy less than their parents???
MY. GOD.
The government and the food industry and chemical companies should be utterly ashamed. I’m only one person and know I, alone, can’t change the system but each and every day I will vote with my pocketbook on the HEALTHY products I purchase.
This has been a huge eye opener. More than that – a life change.
I started researching GMOs after seeing Food Inc. and found this website. This is so resourceful and thank you so much for providing a guide. I wish all of you good luck and thank you for what you’re doing.
[...] about the Supreme Court case and our work on GMO crops and foods. You can also check out our Shoppers Guide to Avoiding GMO [...]
I’d really like to know about some products which definately ARE GMO foods. I’m doing a project for college, and I don’t want to wrongfully accuse any company. Organic food is very easy to find for me, because I live near a farmer’s market, but I would love to be able to be 100% correct when I site which companies genetically engineer their food products.
Hello everyone,
A quick question:
Does anyone know where to find an Australian non GMO food shopping list?
Thanks
[...] plate is to stick with organic, whole foods. You might also take a look at True Food Now’s shopper’s guide for tips on avoiding genetically engineered foods. [h/t Food [...]
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Join us on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/BTCottonKillsUs
[...] http://www.truefoodnow.org/shoppers-guide [...]
A very nice articles, i must admit…
Thanks
Is there any way to know about the GMO’s in restaurant foods? It must be 90% GMO because I don’t know many that are organic restaurants. How do you cope with eating out? Sometimes it’s necessary.
[...] non-GMO foods. (For a list of brands that don’t use GMOS, download The Center For Food Safety’s Non-GMO Shopper’s Guide.) I also, little by little, stopped eating processed foods. And by this I mean anything that comes [...]
[...] to this site for all the info: http://truefoodnow.org/shoppers-guide/ Buzz Up Digg Mixx Twitter Email Print Current Delicious Diigo Facebook Fark Google LinkedIn [...]
[...] 3. True Food [...]
In the new true food shoppers guide Ghirardelli Chocolate is list as both non-gmo as well as may contain gmo. Which is it? I tend to buy that brand on occasion and would really like to know. I have a website with recipes and do not want to direct others in the wrong direction. http://www.TheKitchenTwist.com
That is a very unfortunate typo. It should be under non-GMO only. We do apologize, and this will be fixed immediately in the downloadable version, and in the next print run. Thank you very much for pointing it out!
Non-GMO Shoppers’ Guide ” The True Food Network…
[...]Download our NEW True Food Shopper’s Guide to avoiding GE foods, updated for 2011, or get our True Food Shoppers Guide mobile application for iPhone and Android! …[...]…
[...] consumers, as is this partial list of foods and brands that use GMOs. Especially helpful is the True Food Shoppers Guide (a download-able iPhone app or printable [...]
[...] mobile apps): Non-GMO Shopping Guide (Institute for Responsible Technology and the Non-GMO Project) The True Food Shoppers’ Guide to Avoiding GMOs (Center for Food [...]
Thanks for keeping this updated!
[...] True Food Shoppers Guide (Available in iTunes and the Android Market) — Created to help shoppers find and avoid genetically engineered ingredients. This guide offers valuable information on common genetically modified ingredients, brands to look for and look out for. [...]
Will you be releasing the guide as an android app as well? I think a lot of us would really appreciate it!!! :-) Thanks!
The Guide is available for Android. Search for “true food” in the Android market.
[...] Mobile Apps for Environmentally Friendly Eating by Sarah Kessler. This is the next frontier in the food revolution and quite possibly the coolest apps EVER! You can actually make informed decisions, and make your [...]
The Alt Dairy list on the iphone app list Silk as being organic. According to a report by Organicconsumers.org, Silk has been purchased by Dean foods and Does contain Gmos.
Thanks for your comment. We listed Silk’s Organic soymilk as non-GMO, not it’s non-organic soymilk. However, Silk has recently joined the Non-GMO Project’s program to “verify” it’s use Non-GMO soy and other ingredients: http://www.whitewave.com/. Silk was purchased by Dean Foods, along with the Horizon Organic milk brand and several others, a number of years ago.
[...] is also a cool iPhone app that accompanies the website, which makes things very easy to search for. It is also nice to know [...]