A recent article on Examiner.com discusses the amount of genetically engineered, or genetically modified, GMO, ingredients that may be found in cat foods.
The article cites Justlabelit.org, which says that GE foods are altered at a molecular level in ways that would not otherwise happen naturally, meaning the genetic makeup of plants and animals is altered using DNA molecules from other sources to create a new set of genes that exhibit specific traits.
Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration does not mandate that foods containing these GMO ingredients be labeled, though the article says that 88% of corn planted, 94% of soybeans planted and 90% of canola used in the US is GE. Unless the cat food is certified organic, corn, along with soy and canola, are the most commonly found GE ingredients in petfood, according to Examiner.com. Derivatives of corn, such as corn gluten, corn oil and corn starch, as well as derivatives of soy, including soybeans, soy protein, soy oil and soy meal, are included in many premium-label and bargain cat foods, the article says.
The article also says Susan Thixton of truthaboutpetfood.com contacted petfood manufacturers to ask if the foods contain GE ingredients. Of the responses she received, the following companies claimed that GE ingredients are not used: Answers Pet Food, The Honest Kitchen, Nature's Logic Pet Food, Nature's Variety Pet Food, Raw Health Pet Food, Red Moon Pet Food and Weruva Pet Food. The companies that said there may be a possibility of GE ingredients in the food were Iams and Blue Seal.