The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Nanoparticles in food found to affect gut microbiota

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles E171 may impact human health

USDA has approved more than 20 gene-edited crops

New research from Testbiotech found that over 20 plants engineered with genome editing techniques are registered with non-regulated status, not requiring any additional assessment. The gene-edited plants include pennycress, potatoes, alfalfa, corn, rice, soybeans, tobacco, tomatoes and wheat. Some of the plants will be on the market very soon. The EU requires GMOs to undergo […]

Synthetic biology is changing what we eat. Here’s what you need to know.

Another innovation in food technology is giving scientists, consumers, and health advocates pause. Synthetic biology (synbio) is a form of genetic modification offering plant-based proteins to create foods and fibers that taste, look, and feel like meat products or natural fibers. Examples are “bleeding” veggie burgers and “spider silk” textiles. Concerns about the technology include: […]

Gene-editing technology to create virus-resistant cassava plant has opposite effect, researchers find

Scientists have found that using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to engineer cassava plants to fight off the mosaic virus, actually led to propagation of mutated viruses resistant to gene editing. Plant biologists at the University of Alberta, the University of Liège in Belgium, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology urged caution, saying it “creates a selection pressure on the […]

“Modified: A Food Lover’s Journey Into GMOs” receives James Beard documentary film award

Filmmaker Aube Giroux recently was honored with the James Beard Award (the “Oscars” of the food world) for her work exploring the labeling of genetically modified foods. A decade-long labor of love, “Modified: A Food Lover’s Journey Into GMOs” follows Aube and her mother Jali Giroux, whose shared love of food leads them into a […]