Kefir Kommunity

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is a food, seed, plant or animal that has had its genetic material altered in a lab for some perceived benefit – typically to help it resist insects, viruses, or pesticides. That means a tomato can be tinkered with to flourish in harsh conditions or fish genes can be spliced to boost population numbers.Despite the fact that a majority of Americans have claimed they would not buy food that had been genetically modified, more than 80% of the processed foods in U.S. supermarkets contain genetically modified ingredients. According to the World Health Organization,“GM foods currently available on the international market have passed risk assessments and are not likely to present risks for human health.” Yet a number of studies have linked GM foods to fertility problems, organ damage and more. And labeling is not required, so even conscientious consumers will have difficulty distinguishing between, say, a cookie made with genetically modified sugar and one made without.

The most common GM foods include:

Soy (edamamae, soy sauce, soy milk)

Corn and high fructose corn syrup

Fish

Tomatoes and papaya

Sugar and artificial sweetener

Canola oil

Dairy

That’s right -your and your children’s milk may come from cows injected with genetically modified bovine growth hormone. Some U.S. dairy farms inject the genetically engineered hormone rbGH, also called rbST, into their cows to boost milk production. But not Lifeway Foods. Our entire lineup of probiotic Kefir, Frozen Kefir, Helios ™, ProBugs ™, and BioKefir ™ beverages has been enrolled in the nonprofit Non-GMO Project, honoring our rigorous avoidance of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). "Our entire company is founded upon the notion of providing naturally healthy and delicious beverages and other products that offer all of the well-documented nutritional benefits of probiotics, without the risk of synthetic additives and GMOs," said Lifeway CEO Julie Smolyansky, who hopes consumers recognize that Lifeway’s enrollment in the Non-GMO Project is further proof of our dedication to their health and well-being

For a complete list of Lifeway's Non-GMO Project enrolled products, visit www.nongmoproject.org.