NSF International debuts Non-GMO True North certification

Responding to industry and consumer demand for non-GMO certification options, Ann Arbor, Mich.-based NSF International, a not-for-profit public health and standard development organization, announced the launch of the NSF Non-GMO True North certification offering. NSF International said its newest certification offering expands its suite of GMO transparency services for retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and producers. The new non-GMO certification, available through NSF International’s Consumer Values Verified program, is offered in addition to Non-GMO Project verification.

NSF Non-GMO True North certification uses elements of global and domestic GMO labeling regulations, including European Union and Vermont GMO labeling requirements. The certification gives credit for food safety quality system best practices, NSF International said, including segregation, traceability, and supplier approval and monitoring programs. Additionally, to ensure consumer confidence and transparency, the NSF Non-GMO True North certification requires risk assessment-based unannounced audits, unannounced chain-of-custody sampling and independent testing. It also requires manufacturers to perform routine testing.

The new offering provides manufacturers and retailers with 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, NSF International said.

Research reveals a gap between what American consumers report they want in GMO transparency and how U.S. manufacturers and the supply chain are keeping pace. According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, 92 percent of Americans want genetically modified foods to be labeled, but such labeling is not required in the United States.

“NSF Non-GMO True North is an expansion in non-GMO certification services that will help consumers make an informed decision about the food they eat, as more products in the marketplace are able to be independently certified by a trusted third-party certifier,” said Jaclyn Bowen, director of NSF International’s Consumer Values Verified Program.

To learn more about the NSF Consumer Values Verified program, visit ValuesVerified.org or contact Nova Sayers at [email protected].