Organic Versus Non-GMO Labeling

For people who have become more mindful of what goes into what they eat, the good news is that a rising amount of food manufacturers are offering organic options, making organic food one of the fastest-growing divisions of food production in the United States. The bad news is that all of those options can be uncertain, especially when factoring in food made without GMOs, or genetically modified organisms.

Some people could be trying to eat an all-organic diet, and others may simply be trying to dodge GMOs. Although foods may be labeled as USDA-certified organic or Non-GMO, consumers may not understand the difference. In some cases, there is an intersection between the USDA Organic and Non-GMO labels, but there are some key differences consumers should be aware of when trying to make the distinction between organic foods and foods made without GMOs.

Normally, foods with the USDA Organic label have been manufactured without the use of GMOs, as well as other standards that certify that the food has been produced with at least 95% organic ingredients. Foods that have been labeled as Non-GMO, on the other hand, only need to meet the criteria that they contain less than 1% of GMO content. Foods qualified as Non-GMO may have been exposed to fertilizers or chemical pesticides, animals may have been subjected to hormones or antibiotics, and livestock may not have been fed using 100% organic feed. In short, all USDA Organic certified foods are Non-GMO, but not all Non-GMO certified foods are organic.

The inflated assortment and selection available at the grocery store today may be more confusing, but anyone who is aware about what goes into their favorite organic chocolate brands will need to know the difference between the labeling and what the labels mean. The following infographic helps outline the differences between USDA Organic and Non-GMO labels, so review it the next time you check the labels on your favorite snacks.

Check out the useful infographic PacMoore has put together below: