The plant-based movement has been on quite a journey recently. 

Plant-based foods have been growing in popularity for decades. Moving from niche products found almost exclusively at health food stores, plant-based staples now occupy dedicated sections in mainstream grocers around the world. 

Then, in just five years, the US market for plant-based products more than doubled, growing from an estimated $3.9 billion in 2017 to $8 billion in 2022. What happened, you may well ask, to propel the industry to new heights? It was the intersection of two powerful forces. 

The first was the development of a new generation of plant-based products designed to replicate the taste and texture of animal-derived foods. The second was a global pandemic that disrupted supply chains and propelled personal health to the forefront of many eaters' minds. The combination incentivized carnivores and omnivores to flock to plant-based like never before.

While the plant-based market's trajectory has since leveled off, the need to embrace alternative proteins persists. On a warming planet with limited resources, our planetary and personal health are intertwined. 

What is the role of genetically modified organisms in building a plant-based future? Does genetic engineering support the movement's growth or compromise the very principles that inspired it in the first place?

What are plant-based foods?

Technically, a plant-based food is any food that comes from — you guessed it — a plant. However, we're speaking more specifically than that. As we think of the term, plant-based foods are food options that come from plants and provide a good source of protein, a quality many consider synonymous with animal-derived foods such as meat, dairy and eggs. 

Traditional plant-based options, such as tofu, tempeh, legumes or protein-rich grains like quinoa, have been eaten around the globe for centuries. In fact, plant-based foods' popularity builds on a long history of plant-based eating in many communities of color. A 2019 Gallup poll found that flexitarian diets with reduced meat intake were particularly prevalent in non-white communities. 

Along with traditional plant-based eating, higher adoption of plant-based diets among communities of color can have many driving forces. The following possibilities are by no means exhaustive:

• Self-care — People of color are disproportionately impacted by many chronic diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and cancer, conditions which may respond to plant-based diets.
• Dietary restrictions — An estimated 68% of people around the world, predominantly people with Asian, Indigenous and African heritage, are lactose intolerant, meaning they cannot digest the sugars found in dairy products. 
• Social justice — Social justice work and veganism share ethical foundations, according to activist and writer Dick Gregory, resulting in common ground that has made plant-based diets popular among activists and people from marginalized groups.

To learn more about the intersection of plant-based foods, social justice and race, we recommend exploring original content and first-hand accounts, such as Radical Veganism and White Supremacy and Veganism on Instagram, and Ralinda Watts' excellent piece from 2021, How Veganism Is Rooted in Black Activism, and Why It Isn't Just For White People.

The rise of plant-based

During the last decade, the variety and adaptability of plant-based products proliferated. A new generation of plant-based products that recreate the experience of eating animal-derived foods entered the market. Today, plant-based options are available at every grocery store and integrated into the meat department alongside traditional products.

People seek out plant-based products for a range of reasons, including the following:

• Health concerns — Studies have linked red and processed meat consumption to increased risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Allergies and food sensitivities can also influence choice. 
• Environmental concerns — Choosing plant-based options can reduce our ecological footprint.
• Ethical considerations — Industrial animal farming operations are often brutal for the animals raised there and dangerous for the workers. Consumers seek out plant-based products as a moral and socially responsible alternative. 

Where can GMOs show up in plant-based?

While many brands are embracing non-GMO innovation to create delicious and natural plant-based products, others are relying on biotechnology for base ingredients. Here are some of the most common sources of GMO ingredients:

• Traditional GMO crops — Soy is a common base ingredient for plant-based foods. With most of the soy in the US coming from GMOs, there's a pretty good chance that plant-based products derived from soy are GMOs unless the product is organic or Non-GMO Project Verified. 
• Gene-edited crops — Unlike traditional GMOs, which involve inserting genes from different species into a target crop, gene editing techniques like CRISPR are used to make changes within a plant's existing genome.
• Synthetic biology —"Synbio" ingredients are created using genetically modified microorganisms such as yeast, bacteria or algae to produce compounds used in food manufacturing. Synbio ingredients can appear as animal-free proteins, fats, flavorings, colorants and other additives. 
• Molecular farming — This is the genetic engineering of plants to exploit them for use as factories to create novel compounds. For example, several molecular farming projects we are following involve inserting animal DNA into a genetically engineered plant so the plant produces animal proteins.

Why plant-based is better with the Butterfly

GMOs are novel organisms that have never before been part of the human diet. Without long-term, independent feeding studies, the potential health impacts of GMOs are unknown.

In the grocery store, shoppers may not be able to tell which products are made with GMOs. The USDA's Bioengineered Food Labeling law allows highly processed products and many products made with new GMOs to go unlabeled. Synbio ingredients that utilize animal DNA as part of the genetic engineering process may appear in products marketed toward vegans, even if the use of animal tissue doesn't align with vegan values.

GMOs are often touted as a climate solution, but these claims can be misleading or difficult to substantiate. It's unclear how much benefit energy-intensive synbio or chemical-intensive GMO monocrops offer when compared with industrialized GHG-producing animal farming. Some new GMOs perpetuate industrial agriculture practices that harm ecosystems and biodiversity (think: synbio ingredients that rely on GMO soy or corn as feedstock for the genetically modified microorganisms). 

The future of plant-based 

While the expansion of plant-based products appears to have slowed, the product category is absolutely here to stay. More than 60% of households regularly choose plant-based products, and over ¾ of those folks plan to do so again — reducing our consumption of animal products and improving our health and the planet's health, to boot.

However, the plant-based movement is at a crossroads. Will the values of sustainability and health guide the future of plant-based, or will it rely on energy-intensive tech, destructive industrial practices and headline-grabbing hyperboles? The debate is ongoing.

Thankfully, GMOs are not an essential ingredient in plant-based foods. Many brands are exploring non-GMO innovation to develop new plant-based products. The Non-GMO Project Verified mark is on more than 2,000 plant-based options made without genetic engineering — you can browse the Dairy Alternative and Meat Alternative selections in our Product Finder. These companies are committed to bringing new products to market that uphold the values and traditions of the plant-based movement. They use natural ingredients such as non-GMO nuts, grains and legumes as the basis of delicious milks, creamers, cheeses and frozen desserts. Legume-based non-GMO egg replacements scramble like the real thing and plant-based meat alternatives can take the place of seafood, sausage and even burgers.

The growth of the plant-based movement offers tremendous potential for improving human health, reducing GHG emissions and creating a more equitable and sustainable food system. However, realizing this potential requires vigilance against silver-bullet solutions and unsustainable biotech fixes that may undermine these goals.

The Non-GMO Project believes that plant-based food is essential to a regenerative and nourishing food system and that the brightest future stays true to the movement's roots in the natural foods space. Our vision includes:

• Transparency — Accurate food labeling should support your right to know how your food is made.
• Accountability — Full-life-cycle accounting of the impacts of new GMOs in plant-based products.
• Regeneration — Holistic, non-GMO farming practices protect biodiversity and soil health and improve nutrient density.

We are at a critical time, both for people and the planet. The most powerful tool we have is our ability to make informed choices. 

Everyone should be able to enjoy delicious alternatives to animal-derived foods that stay true to the core values of sustainability, health and social justice. By supporting non-GMO innovation in plant-based foods, asking about ingredient sourcing and supporting brands that align with their values, shoppers can help steer the plant-based industry towards a more sustainable and equitable future. 

Look for the Butterfly – the Non-GMO Project verification mark – to ensure your plant-based choices are truly rooted in nature.