--- description: Good luck – an estimated 75% of food found in supermarkets contains genetically modified ingredients title: Environmental Working Group's Shopper’s Guide to Avoiding GMO Foods image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt85cfe1d2d716d58f/698682f5cd804d6197cc9710/imsis614-028-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Food & Drink](/tag/food-drink/) ## Food & Drink Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A Shopper's Guide to Eating GMO Free by [Alexandra Sifferlin](/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 19, 2014 5:01 AM CUT  Corn and soybean ingredients, sugar, and vegetable oils are the most commonly genetically engineered products. Corn and soybean ingredients, sugar, and vegetable oils are the most commonly genetically engineered products.Image Source—Getty by [Alexandra Sifferlin](/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 19, 2014 5:01 AM CUT While the controversy over [genetically engineered (GE) foods](http://science.time.com/2013/05/14/modifying-the-endless-genetically-modified-crop-debate/ "undefined") rages on, the the Environmental Working Group–an organization and advocacy group that is pro-labeling–has compiled a handy guide to eating GMO-free. Consumers are the primary voices behind labeling, arguing the effects have not been studied long enough, and that many places outside the U.S., like France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Russia, China, and the U.K., already label GE food. Scientist argue GEs could be the solution to providing sustainable food on the global scale. Wherever you fall on the GM food spectrum, the truth is that they’re almost unavoidable. In 2013, the Center for Food Safety estimated that more than 75% of food in supermarkets could contain genetically modified ingredients. For instance, corn and soybean ingredients, sugar, and vegetable oils are the most commonly genetically engineered products. Other foods like papaya and zucchini are also heavily modified. Whether you want to know what to avoid or just want to be educated, check out the guide [here](http://www.ewg.org/research/shoppers-guide-to-avoiding-ge-food "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/8864/a-shoppers-guide-to-eating-gmo-free/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/8864/a-shoppers-guide-to-eating-gmo-free/"},"headline":"A Shopper's Guide to Eating GMO Free","datePublished":"2014-02-19T05:01:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T06:27:03.806Z","description":"Good luck – an estimated 75% of food found in supermarkets contains genetically modified ingredients","url":"https://time.com/8864/a-shoppers-guide-to-eating-gmo-free/","keywords":["Food & Drink","Diet & Fitness","GMO"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt85cfe1d2d716d58f/698682f5cd804d6197cc9710/imsis614-028-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt85cfe1d2d716d58f/698682f5cd804d6197cc9710/imsis614-028-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Corn and soybean ingredients, sugar, and vegetable oils are the most commonly genetically engineered products.","caption":"Corn and soybean ingredients, sugar, and vegetable oils are the most commonly genetically engineered products.","creditText":"Image Source—Getty","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/food-drink/","name":"Food & Drink"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/8864/a-shoppers-guide-to-eating-gmo-free/","name":"A Shopper's Guide to Eating GMO Free"}}]}] ```