During this time of year gyms are packed full of new faces that have all vowed to get fit, lose weight and live healthier lifestyles. In their lifetime, one-in-ten U.S. adults have signed up for a gym membership as a New Year’s resolution. Unfortunately, eighty percent of those who don’t make it through the first year quit the gym within their first five months. While the gym might not be for everyone, food manufacturers have taken note of health trends and are taking significant steps to meet the demands of today’s health conscious consumers who want to know the makeup of the food they purchase.
General Mills recently announced their pledge to change the manufacturing of Cheerios to eliminate ingredients containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). To achieve this goal, General Mills began altering its manufacturing process over a year ago and notes this process “has been lengthy and expensive.” Other companies are also are joining this health conscious cause. According to the Wall Street Journal, Chipotle and Kellogg’s Kashi products also have plans to remove GMOs from their food products. And by 2018, Whole Foods has said it will require all food in its stores containing GMOs to disclose these facts on labels.
While the long-standing argument over the potential health benefits or hazardous effects of GMOs in the foods we eat is a debate that warrants its own blog, consumer demands to learn exactly what’s in the foods placed on dinner tables and in their families’ mouths are driving global standards bodies like GS1 into action. The Grocery Manufacturers Association concludes approximately 70-80% of the foods we eat in the United States contain ingredients that have been genetically modified.
In an upcoming release of new Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) attributes (established by GS1 to enable supply chain partners to send and receive synchronized product information via certified data pools), participating manufacturers, brand owners and wholesalers will be required to identify food items that are grown or produced through a cloning process. This information will be distributed across data pools and into the hands of recipients (retailers/distributors) to be displayed in stores, online and in mobile apps. As a result, consumers will be able to make informed purchase decisions based on both virtual information and in-store labels to meet their health preferences and dietary needs.
Brand owners, manufacturers and wholesalers who need to disclose GMO information on their products before this GDSN introduction are turning to LANSA Data Sync Direct to address their immediate requirements and long term goals. LANSA Data Sync Direct is a comprehensive Product Information Management solution which features GDSN integration via 1WorldSync. The flexibility of the solution allows you to communicate extended attribute information, like GMO data, directly to chosen recipients and trading partners today and integrate directly into the GDSN tomorrow via 1WorldSync.
To learn more or continue the discussion, visit www.wp.lansa.com/pim/.
