What is Non-GMO Salt?

The rising non-GMO* food trend is “extreme and consistent,” according to Hans Eisenbeis, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Non-GMO Project, founded in 2007, and based in Bellingham, WA.¹ In the last decade alone, the number of shoppers avoiding genetically modified foods has tripled (from 15% to 46%) according to research by The Hartman Group based in Bellevue, WA.² According to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2018 Food and Health Survey, 40% of consumers perceive products that contain non-GMO ingredients as healthier than identical products made with GMO ingredients.³

Salt, an ingredient that spans nearly every food category,  is no exception when it comes to non-GMO skepticism. Megan Swartz, Food Science Lead at Cargill Salt explained, “as the consumer demand for non-GMO products grows, we continue to receive more customer requests for salt that is non-GMO.” However, salt itself is not genetically modified—though additives within a salt formulation may affect its non-GMO status. “It [salt] may be treated with an anti-caking agent derived from genetically modified corn,” Eisenbeis noted, in which case, food manufacturers may choose a different type of anti-caking agent if they want to maintain non-GMO status on food products made with that particular salt.¹

Cargill has been serving the non-GMO market for nearly 20 years and we continue to broaden our non-GMO offerings. As the industry’s largest non-GMO ingredient provider, we recognize the need to continue nourishing this growing trend. This is why as Cargill, we have the ingredients, resources, and expertise to help food manufacturers achieve their non-GMO goals.

* There is no single definition for Non-GMO in the USA.

Sources:

1. https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/14368-non-gmo-project-growth-extreme-and-consistent
2. The Hartman Group, Bellevue, WA and Food Processing. June 2018. https://www.hartman-group.com/acumenPdfs/foodprocessing_com-What%20Do%20Consumers%20Think%20of%20GMOs.pdf
3. International Food and Information Council (IFIC) 2018 Food and Health Survey. https://foodinsight.org/2018-food-and-health-survey/