Aker verifies krill oil ingredient as non-GMO
Aker harvests its krill in the wild in the waters off of Antarctica, so genetic modification technology was never an issue. Nevertheless, the new certification gives more certainty about manufacturing and chain of custody issues, important considerations if and when mandatory labeling of GMO ingredients in dietary supplements comes to pass in the US.
“This certification adds another layer of transparency to the company's supply chain and shows that all components used to make Superba krill oil contain no genetically modified organisms (GMOs),” the company said in a statement.
Aker already has Marine Stewardship Council certification on its fishery, and recently renewed that status with the organization.
The Non-GMO Project Verified seal is often cited as the fastest growing label in the dietary supplements and natural products businesses. To date the organization has verified more than 29,500 products, totaling more than $11 billion in sales. According to the Harman Group’s Organic & Natural 2014 report, 23% more consumers are choosing non-GMO products compared to a year ago. Additionally, 40% say they are avoiding or reducing GMOs in their daily diet.
"Trends around non-GMO labeling in foods are quickly migrating into the dietary supplement market. And even though supplement supply chains are very complex, we felt the need to pursue non-GMO verification to provide our customers added assurance not only of the absence of GMOs in Superba(TM) Krill oil, but also as a sign of our unrelenting commitment to traceability and transparency," said Becky Wright, Marketing Director, Aker BioMarine Antarctic US. "It took us more than a year to secure this certification, but it was well worth it.”
