US firm Boulder Brands has announced it is to relaunch its Smart Balance buttery spreads as GMO-free.
The lines have undergone an ingredient and manufacturing revamp and the non-GMO versions will be available in retail stores during March.
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“Consumers are communicating strong desire for more transparency in their food ingredients, and that is leading to a growing demand for non-GMO products,” Boulder chairman and CEO Stephen Hughes said.
“Consumers favour healthier, less processed foods with simpler ingredients. They think what we put in our food matters, and frankly, the same applies to what we leave out. We hear this echoed over and over by our consumers and we are committed to moving in this direction.”
Non-GMO Smart Balance is made from expeller-pressed oils from non-GMO seeds. In addition, manufacturing facilities and production processes have been enhanced to reduce risk of contact with GMO-containing ingredients. The new product will bear a “non-GMO” label.
Boulder is “evaluating” opportunities to convert other products to non-GMO, including its mayonnaise dressing, cooking spray, and cooking oils.
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By GlobalDataThe GMO debate has gained widespread public attention in the US, with GMO-free lobbyists calling for mandatory labelling of GMO ingredients. Industry bodies representing the food industry – notably the Grocery Manufacturers Association – have opposed the introduction of labelling rules by state legislators and emphasised the widespread use of GMO crops in the US would make it impossible to convert the supply chain to a GMO-free footing.
Proposed legislation was voted down in the states of Washington and California last year, while Connecticut passed a compromise deal that would see legislation enacted if it was supported by four other states.
When General Mills announced its move to introduce GMO-free Cheerios, the company insisted it was opposed to state-based legislation and suggested legislators should seek a national solution.
At the beginning of the year Post Holdings announced it would launch its Grape Nuts as GMO-free.
