Chipotle Mexican Grill recently made national headlines with a groundbreaking decision to reveal GMOs used in their food. This was a bold move – the first of its kind among major food suppliers in the nation – and a testament to Chipotle’s commitment to people, animals, and the environment.

In 2001, Chipotle released a mission statement entitled Food with Integrity, which explains the chain’s commitment to serving natural and organic products to contribute to global sustainability. Particularly, Chipotle has expressed its efforts to use organic ingredients and naturally raised meat when possible. In 2011, 50% of all produce served in restaurants nationwide was sourced from small and midsize local farms, and 40% of beans were organic. These percentages are continually on the rise.

GMOs (genetically modified organisms) have become part of the global food supply in recent years, and have generated much controversy from those concerned about health and environmental implications. Consumers are beginning to seek out non-GMO food products, but the Food and Drug Administration does not require producers to include this information on the label.

Without a doubt, Chipotle is responding to this consumer need, which will only bode well for them in the future. Though around half of the menu items still contain GMOs in some form, the company hopes to eliminate GMOs altogether as soon as possible. The genetically modified ingredients currently in use are soy and corn, which are often difficult to source in conventional form.

Nevertheless, RIBUS has a non-GMO, sustainable solution for soy lecithin replacement. Nu-RICE, extracted from rice bran, is available in natural or certified organic formulations.

With the demand for non-GMO products and ingredients on the rise, hopefully GMO disclosure will become a trend throughout the food industry.

Source:

http://www.naturalnews.com/040751_Chipotle_GMO_labeling_Whole_Foods.html