Oser Communications Group

6 SNACKING NEWS December 2018 SNACKING NEWS SNACKING NEWS SNACKING NEWS Some Snack Makers Opt to Include GMOs in Their Products BY ROBIN MATHER By now, most consumers recognize the Non-GMO Project's cheery blue and green seal on products – they're everywhere, even on products that couldn't or wouldn't be genetically modified. They're on every- thing from over-the-counter drugs to snack foods and bars. More than 50,000 products are now certified, the Non-GMO Project says. The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing veri- fied non-GMO choices. Another cheery little label may soon also show up everywhere – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's proposed "bio- engineered" label. In May, an amendment to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 directed the FDA to develop a national "bioengineered food standard." The stan- dard would require manufacturers to label foods that contain GMO ingredients. It would also make labeling foods as "non- GMO" illegal, requiring instead the use of "bioengineered." At least two companies would label their products cheerfully if the FDA adopts its rule. Their reasons may surprise you. Changing from GMO to BE The FDA's proposed guidelines for food makers document is dozens of pages long and has drawn criticism from many quar- ters, including the Non-GMO Project, for a variety of reasons. "I am writing to express my objection to the totally unacceptable 'National Bio- engineered Food Disclosure Standard,' " said one commenter from Ohio. "The pro- posed standard uses a generally unrecog- nized term for the technologies in ques- tion, it exempts many foods that should re- quire labeling, disadvantages consumers who do not use, or cannot afford, smart phones, and it actively promotes genetic engineering to the detriment of farmers who decline to use genetically engineered seeds on their farm." The Non-GMO Project has also criticized the standard's name, the graphics on the proposed label, and says the proposed rule actually encourages GMO development. The public comment period ended on July 3, and the FDA is expected to release the final rule in 2019. 'Proudly Pro GMO' Solving the problem of "food voids" – a term coined to describe meals missed be- cause no food is available – is one of the reasons why a California company says it's pro-GMO. Soylent makes ready-to-drink soy-based meal replacement beverages and coffee drinks as well as a powder to add to smoothies or shakes. Each serving of Soy- lent, whether ready-to-drink or by the scoop of powder, provides 20 grams of protein, 21 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 26 vita- mins and minerals, the company says. The company, founded in 2013 in Sili- con Valley by four roommates, launched with the largest crowd-funding campaign in history. For Soylent, GMOs provide a sustainable way to feed an ever-growing global popu- lation. A Soylent spokesperson explained the company's position on GMOs this way: "With 38 percent of [the world's] land al- ready used for agriculture and 41 million people in America alone struggling with food insecurity, finding solutions to our food access concerns cannot be ignored. "At Soylent, we want to change the way people look at food. That's why we are pro- science and pro-GMO. GMOs are a safe, economic option for sustainable food pro- duction, they cut down on food waste, time spent growing food, and resources used." Many miles to the north of Silicon Valley, Canadian Neal Carter's interest in creating a GMO apple sprang from concerns about food waste, he says. As a grower of apples and cherries himself, seeing apples going to waste as culls troubled him. Carter is also a bioresource engineer who has worked on development projects around the world. He has seen firsthand the devastation of drought and the famine that often follows it. As founder of Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc., Carter's company was instru- mental in developing the Arctic Apple ® , the first non-browning apple. Arctic apples are sold in limited quantities as fresh ap- ples – because there just aren't that many trees in the ground yet — and are also used in OSF's dried apple snack, marketed as ApBitz. In Canada, GMO foods are regulated by Health Canada, and to sell in the US, the company had to undergo U.S. Department of scrutiny. Both agencies cleared Arctic Apples in early 2015. There are several different types of ge- netic modification, Carter says. While many people know about CRISPR tech- nology, used to modify a cell's genome, OSF used RNAi technology in developing the Arctic apple. "CRISPR is not so easy to use," he says. "RNAi was the best tool- box available to us." Unlike many other GMO products, which are designed for pesticide resistance and incorporate genetic material from species different from the modified plant, the Arctic apple uses its own genes to turn off the genes responsible for browning, Carter says. Consumers Quickly Accepted the Apple "We did three focus groups of 15 people each," he says. "Out of that, only one per- son wouldn't eat a GM apple. Then, in 2006, we did a bunch of focus groups. Everyone who saw it, and saw how it doesn't brown – 92 to 94 percent of them showed a high likeliness to buy." He says it's the lack of the "yuck fac- tor" that leads people to like the Arctic apple. Because the apple can hold for several days after cutting without enzy- matic browning, food waste is reduced, he says. "We are about as transparent about our GM apples as anyone could be," Carter says. "Biotech will never be embraced un- less people get over their fears about this." The Arctic apple will bear the BE label, Carter says. "We unveiled our package la- beling at the Produce Marketing Associa- tion show this year." The Non-GMO Project would disagree with Carter. It cites the Hartman Group's "Organic and Natural 2018" report when it asserts that 46 percent of shoppers avoid GMOs when shopping, and that 97 per- cent of respondents surveyed were aware of GMOs. The report also noted that 36 percent of shoppers say they are buying more non-GMO products compared with a year ago. n Southern Dallas Thrive Gets Help from Pepsi, Frito-Lay PepsiCo's Frito-Lay North America, along with the PepsiCo Foundation, PepsiCo's Food for Good nutrition team and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, have launched a focused community initiative to help make meaningful improvements in the lives of southern Dallas citizens – Southern Dallas Thrives. Southern Dallas Thrives aims to in- crease the quality of preschool education in southern Dallas communities, provide families with nutritious meals and prepare high school students with the career and college preparation they need to succeed – all while giving unemployed parents ac- cess to childcare they need to enter and participate in the workforce. In addition, the PepsiCo Foundation will provide a $600,000 grant over three years to United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. The grant will increase the quality of child care in southern Dallas as well as provide ad- ditional childcare facilities over time. This will give mothers a chance to enter the workforce and lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. "Frito-Lay and PepsiCo are committed to the success of the community we call home," said Vivek Sankaran, President, Chief Operating Officer, Frito-Lay North America. "While southern Dallas is a part of our city that faces significant chal- lenges, there is a strength and drive to suc- ceed there. By providing support for this special place, we believe we can strengthen our entire community and help all of our neighbors thrive." Today, the unemployment rate in south- ern Dallas is more than triple that of the Dallas-Ft. Worth average, and nearly 30 percent of residents there live in poverty. More than 90 percent of southern Dallas students are disadvantaged, and over 45 percent of children not kindergarten-ready. Within the next three to five years, the Southern Dallas Thrives initiative aims to: Serve 1 million meals through Food for Good, PepsiCo's signature nutrition opera- tion that has already delivered 80 million servings of nutritious foods to low-income families in 19 U.S. communities since 2009. Increase kindergarten readiness by 10 percent by providing volunteers to early childhood centers in southern Dallas, and improve the quality and accessibility of childcare to working mothers. Provide 200 mothers the opportunity to work, through partnering with United Way agencies that target unemployed moms and provide mentorship, engagement ac- tivities, career access and funding support for daycare. Help 85 percent of South Oak Cliff High School students graduate college or prepare to be career-ready through tutoring and mentoring efforts at South Oak Cliff Colle- giate Academy, located in southern Dallas. "We are exceedingly proud to partner with Frito-Lay and the PepsiCo Founda- tion in effectively bridging the opportu- nity gap in our city's southern sector," said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Tem- pleton President, Chief Executive Offi- cer, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. "Together, we are committed toe equip- ping and empowering all of our commu- nity's children and their families with access to quality education and stable jobs so they can lead healthy, productive and hope-filled lives." PepsiCo and Frito-Lay are encouraging local employees and the broader Dallas- Fort Worth community to volunteer and do- nate to www.southerndallasthrives.com. n

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