For thousands of years, humans have used traditional modification methods, such as selective breeding and crossbreeding, to breed plants and animals with more desirable traits. 

For example, early farmers developed hybridization methods to grow maize with a variety of colors, sizes, and uses. Today's strawberries are a hybrid between a type of strawberry native to North America and a type of strawberry native to South America.

Many of the foods we eat today were created through traditional breeding methods. But changing plants and animals through conventional breeding can take a long time and very specific changes are difficult. After scientists developed genetic engineering in the 1970s, they were able to make similar changes more specifically and in less time.

Genetic engineering is often used in conjunction with conventional breeding to produce genetically modified plant varieties available on the market today.

“GMO” (genetically modified organism) has become a collective term used by consumers and the popular media to describe genetically engineered foods.

But Genetic engineering is a process that includes:

• Identifying the genetic information or "gene" that confers a desired trait on an organism (plant, animal, or microorganism)
• Copying this information from the organism with the trait
• Inserting this information into another organism's DNA
• Then growing the new organism

Do not hesitate to contact our expert team to get detailed information about the GMO Free and NON GMO label and certification, or to apply for certification.