Many shoppers who prefer to avoid GMOs consider the produce section to be the easiest part of the grocery store to navigate. For much of the past 30 years, that's been true: The vast majority of GMO acreage produces commodity crops such as corn, soy, sugar beet or canola, which end up as ingredients in highly processed foods in the center of the store. The few GMOs in the produce department – papayas and some zucchini/summer squash – were pretty easy to spot. 

However, that's starting to change. In the last few years, GMOs are proliferating among the fruits and veggies, including non-browning apples and potatoes, pineapples with pink flesh and bioengineered sweet corn varieties. GMO developers are more active than ever before in the produce section, using new genomic techniques to engineer consumer-oriented traits such as seedlessness.

Luckily, there are several non-GMO seedless options on the market, developed through traditional breeding and selection rather than genetic engineering. For example, seedless grapes predate GMOs by at least 400 years, and seedless watermelons were developed through targeted mutagenesis, which is not a biotechnology technique. You can find out more about these non-GMO foods here.

To avoid GMOs and get your recommended servings per day, keep a copy of our printable pocket guide to GMOs in the produce section handy. Plus, keep an eye out for these exciting non-GMO seedless fruit options — all proudly developed without genetic engineering.

When life gives you lemons, skip the seeds

Are you tired of fishing lemon pips out of your iced tea? Non-GMO Project Verified Wonderful seedless lemons match the taste and juiciness of regular lemons, without the pips. They were developed by an Australian citrus farmer using traditional breeding techniques. 

Lemon trees typically need to grow for a few years before bearing fruit, which means the company behind the seedless lemon is working to scale up production to meet demand. However, there are at last enough productive groves in California and Mexico for you to find them at a store near you. 

Meet the stoneless "plerry"

Did you know plums and cherries are related? Both come from the genus Prunus, and the hybrid of the two is called the Verry Cherry Plum — despite the familiar-sounding name, they are distinct from the existing fruit we think of as a cherry plum. 

Verry Cherry Plums are the size of a smallish plum, with a sweet and juicy taste and nectarine-like texture. They were developed in California and are Non-GMO Project Verified. 

The most adorable snack

This cute little fruit is actually a hybrid of a lime and kumquat that goes by the product name "Lemon snack." Lemon snacks are completely edible, peel and all, with lots of antioxidants to protect cells and support immune function. They are handy for use in drinks or cooking, and, with lower acidity and a sweeter taste than a regular lemon or lime, make delightful snacks all on their own. 

Lemon snacks are grown in Italy and currently available only in Europe. 

Keep in mind, as GMO developers set their sights on modifying fruit and vegetable varieties, it's a good idea to stay curious about new products. That's why the Non-GMO Project dedicated researchers monitor new GMOs on the market. We'll continue to highlight non-GMO innovations and keep you informed of the latest developments.  

With biotechnology's traits, targets and techniques rapidly evolving, it’s more important than ever to look for the Butterfly.