NSF Launches New Non-GMO Certification Program
The new True North Non-GMO program is entirely separate from Non-GMO Project verification.
Photo © iStockphoto.com/zmeel
With demand for non-GMO products as high as ever, NSF International (Ann Arbor, MI) has announced a new non-GMO certification, titled NSF Non-GMO True North.
The new certification incorporates elements of global and domestic labeling regulations, and requires unannounced risk assessment-based audits, chain of custody sampling, and independent testing to ensure consumer confidence and transparency, according to NSF.
NSF is also a technical administrator for Non-GMO Project verification, but it says the new True North certification is an entirely separate program. It is designed as an “additional certification for sourcing and production claims on packaging and in marketing materials at a time when non-verified and never inspected claims for non-GMO or GMO-Free are increasingly commonplace in the absence of federal oversight,” says NSF.
“As consumer demand for non-GMO products grows, NSF Non-GMO True North offers producers (including ranchers and farmers), processors, and manufacturers a solution that utilizes fundamentals of other current and emerging regulatory and food safety requirements,” says Jaclyn Bowen, director of the Consumer Values Verified Program at NSF International.
Some unique aspects of the new True North certification include accepting organic certification as evidence of compliance, allowing livestock feed with up to 5% tolerance, and allowing for exemptions for processing aids and enzymes under certain conditions, says Bowen. She adds that the new program also introduces non-GMO annexes specific to cosmetics, dietary supplements, and textiles.
Read more:
What Does Non-GMO Certification Cost? 5 Things to Know
Going Non-GMO: Be Realistic-and Start Early
Michael Crane
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook Magazine
michael.crane@ubm.com
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