Tip #1: Buy Organic

Certified organic products cannot intentionally include any GMO ingredients. Buy products labeled “100% organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic ingredients.” You can be doubly sure if the product also has a non-GMO Project Verified Seal. Read more about organic standards.

Tip #2: Look for “Non-GM” labels

Products that carry the Non-GMO Project Seal are independently verified to be in compliance with North America’s only third party standard for GMO avoidance, including testing of at risk ingredients. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to providing consumers with clearly labeled and independently verified non-GMO choices. Look for dairy products labeled “No rBGH or rBST,” or “artificial hormones-free.”

Tip #3: Avoid At-Risk Ingredients

If it’s not labeled organic or verified non-GMO: Avoid products made with ingredients that might be derived from GMOs (see invisible ingredient list.) The eight GM food crops are Corn, Soybeans, Canola, Cottonseed, Sugar Beets, Hawaiian Papaya (most) and a small amount of Zucchini and Yellow Squash.

Sugar

If a non-organic product made in North American lists “sugar” as an ingredient (and NOT pure cane sugar), then it is almost certainly a combination of sugar from both sugar cane and GM sugar beets.

Dairy

Products may be from cows injected with GM bovine growth hormones. Look for labels stating no rBGH, rBST, or artificial hormones.

Tip # 4: Download Shopping Guides on Your Smart Phone

There are free and charged non-GMO shopping guides apps you can down on your smart phone.

For the iPhone: Non-GMO Project Shopping Guide, Fooducate, EWG’s 2014 Shopper Guides,

For the Android: Fooducate, EWG’s 2014 Shopper Guides