Chipotle Says It Has Finished Removing GMO Ingredients
DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado-based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. said that it has finished removing genetically modified foods from its ingredients, according to MarketWatch. That makes it the first major restaurant chain to do so in light of consumer skepticism over the agricultural technology.
With nearly 2,000 restaurants, Chipotle has been working for over two years to eliminate ingredients that are GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, commonly including corn and soybeans. The crops' DNA is altered to achieve specific traits like pest-resistance.
Proponents argue the crops are safe, and the Food and Drug Administration has approved several GMO crops, but critics claim they cause environmental woes and could be harmful to human health.
Chipotle began informing their customers which of their ingredients contained GMOs back in 2013. The company is now avoiding those crops altogether until the science is more definitive. They had planned to be done by the end of 2014, but the transition took a little longer than expected.
The reform included substituting non-GMO sunflower oil for a GMO soybean oil it had been using, and sourcing non-GMO tortillas.