March 13, 2017

 

Cargill strengthens non-GMO offering with identity preservation process

 

 

Commodities trader Cargill has boosted its commitment to help food and beverage customers address growing consumer demand for non-GMO product offerings as it announced an identity preservation process and several additional Non-GMO Project Verified food ingredients.

 

Called KnownOrigins™, the 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", she added.

 

Key features of KnownOrigins™ include:

 

-- 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.

 

-- 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.

 

Non-GMO food ingredients

 

Cargill 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 inulin2, 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-a global independent organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries-is the technical administrator for Cargill's Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients.