How we rated companies

The True Food Guide rates food and beverage companies according to their policies and actions to exclude ingredients derived from genetically engineered (GE) products.

Green
GE-free brands are rated green. These companies have a clear policy on excluding GE-derived ingredients, including oils derived from GE crops, and animal products from animals fed on GE crops. (Note: We do not rate on processing aids and yeasts that are processed in a laboratory setting rather than in the open environment.)

Red
Brands that may include GE-derived ingredients in their products are rated red. This includes brands that either:

• contain GE derived ingredients, and/or;
• have no clear policy on GE-derived ingredients, and/or:
• have ignored or refused Safe Food Foundation & Institute request for information regarding their policies on GE-derived ingredients.

What companies say: read between the lines

They say:	"We comply with FSANZ (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand) guidelines on labelling of genetically engineered/modified ingredients."
Read as:	FSANZ guidelines on the labelling of genetically engineered ingredients are so weak and ineffective that we did not have to label any of the processed ingredients derived from a genetically engineered crop in any of our products." Read more about labelling
Respond with:	"Do you have a policy to exclude ingredients derived from a genetically engineered source including oils and animal products from animals fed GE stockfeed?"

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They say:	"We use only non-GE ingredients."
Read as:	"We don't use whole GE ingredients, which would require labelling, but we have no policy on GE-derived ingredients such as oils and ingredients derived from animals fed on GE stock feed."
Respond with:	"Congratulations on having a policy to exclude GE ingredients from your products. Does your policy cover the exclusion of ingredients derived from a genetically engineered source, such as oils and animal products from animals fed GE stockfeed?"

What you can do