General Mills to Remove GMOs from Cheerios Cereal

Cheerios is starting off the new year right by taking out the genetically modified ingredients found in the original cereal.

According to General Mills, with pressure from consumer and activist groups, the company notes that it will now be dropping genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and swapping them out for non-GMO pure cane sugar instead of beet sugar, according to spokesman Mike Siemienas, via USA Today.

Though the change was made several weeks ago, Siemienas has declined to be more specific on when the changes will exactly be taking place. "We do value our Cheerios fans and we do listen to their thoughts and suggestions," he said, via an email.

It's probably best that Cheerios is ditching their GMOs as most developed nations do not consider them safe. For instance, in more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the products. Unfortunately, the U.S. still uses them in some capacities.

Statistics show that approximately 80 percent of conventional processed foods in the United States contain GMOs.

However, General Mills has no current plans to phase out GMOs from all of its products. "For our other (non-organic) cereals, the widespread use of GM seed in crops such as corn, soy, or beet sugar would make reliably moving to non-GM ingredients difficult, if not impossible," the company notes, via a statement.

However, health officials and authorities of General Mills believe this may prompt other companies to remove GMOs from their products.

What do you think?