What Are Examples of Bioengineered Ingredients?

November 2, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the USDA, bioengineered (BE) food contains detectable genetic material that has been modified using specific lab techniques not possible through conventional breeding. This has led to the development of numerous bioengineered ingredients, impacting many products on store shelves today, from fresh produce to processed foods.

Quick Summary

This article details prominent bioengineered ingredients, including common crops like corn and soy, derived products such as oils and sweeteners, and food processing enzymes produced by engineered microorganisms. It explains their purposes and how to identify them using modern labeling standards.

Key Points

Corn and Soy are Common Sources: Many processed foods contain ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, corn oil, and soy lecithin derived from bioengineered corn and soybeans.
Not Just Produce: Bioengineered ingredients also include enzymes used in cheesemaking, sweeteners, and baking, as well as vitamins produced by engineered microorganisms.
Labeling is Mandatory for Detectable DNA: In the U.S., foods with detectable bioengineered DNA must be labeled with text, a symbol, a QR code, or a phone number.
Refined Ingredients May Be Exempt: Highly refined products like corn oil and sugar often do not have a bioengineered label because the genetic material is removed during processing.
AquAdvantage Salmon is a Bioengineered Animal: Approved for consumption, this fish grows faster than its conventional counterpart.
Organic and Non-GMO Labels are Stricter: For consumers seeking to avoid all genetically engineered products, organic certification or a 'Non-GMO Project Verified' label provides a more comprehensive guarantee.

Common Bioengineered Crops

Bioengineered crops are a primary source for many common food ingredients. They are developed to possess specific traits that offer advantages in farming, such as resistance to pests and herbicides. The USDA maintains a list of commercially available bioengineered foods that require disclosure on product packaging. These items are a key source of many refined ingredients found in processed foods.

Key Bioengineered Crops

Corn: One of the most widely grown BE crops, varieties of corn are modified for insect resistance (Bt corn) and herbicide tolerance (Roundup Ready corn). Most field corn is used for animal feed or processed into ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, corn oil, and cornstarch.
Soybean: Over 90% of U.S. soy is bioengineered, primarily for herbicide tolerance. Soybeans are processed into numerous ingredients, including soybean oil, soy lecithin, and soy protein, which appear in a vast array of packaged foods.
Sugar Beet: Most sugar beets in the U.S. are bioengineered to withstand herbicides, providing farmers with a way to control weeds efficiently. The granulated sugar made from these beets is highly refined, but the bioengineered source requires disclosure.
Canola: Similar to corn and soy, BE canola is engineered for herbicide resistance, and its oil is used widely in packaged and fried foods.
Alfalfa: Primarily used as animal feed for dairy cows, BE alfalfa is designed for herbicide tolerance to help manage weeds in hay fields.
Papaya: The 'Rainbow' papaya, developed in Hawaii, was bioengineered to resist the devastating papaya ringspot virus, effectively saving the state's papaya industry.
Apples: The non-browning Arctic™ apple has been genetically modified to reduce browning when sliced, which helps cut down on food waste.
Potatoes: Certain BE potatoes have been engineered to resist bruising and browning, and to reduce the formation of a potential carcinogen, acrylamide, when cooked at high temperatures.
Pink Pineapple: This variety was bioengineered to produce lycopene, the pigment that makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink, giving it a distinctive color.

Refined Ingredients from Bioengineered Sources

Many ingredients derived from BE crops are so highly refined that the final product contains no detectable modified genetic material. Under the USDA standard, these ingredients do not require a 'bioengineered' label unless other detectable BE ingredients are present. However, a manufacturer can voluntarily disclose that the product was 'derived from bioengineering'.

Examples of Derived Bioengineered Ingredients

Corn Syrup and High-Fructose Corn Syrup: Sweeteners used extensively in soft drinks, baked goods, and other processed items, made from BE corn.
Corn Oil: Used for cooking and in processed foods, this oil is extracted from BE corn.
Soybean Oil and Canola Oil: Vegetable oils widely used in dressings, margarine, and packaged snacks, sourced from BE crops.
Granulated Sugar: A significant portion of granulated sugar in the U.S. comes from BE sugar beets, though the refining process removes all detectable modified DNA.
Maltodextrin, Lecithin, and Cornstarch: Common additives and fillers derived from BE corn and soy.

Bioengineered Enzymes, Vitamins, and Animal Products

Beyond crops, bioengineering has created other food ingredients, including enzymes, vitamins, and even animal products.

Engineered Enzymes and Fermentation Products

Cheese-Making Enzymes (Chymosin): The rennet used to coagulate milk in cheesemaking is often produced by genetically modified microorganisms, rather than being extracted from calf stomachs.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup Enzymes: Bioengineered enzymes are used to process cornstarch into high-fructose corn syrup.
Amylases and Proteases: Used in baking and brewing to improve texture, taste, and shelf-life, these can be sourced from engineered microorganisms through precision fermentation.
Non-Animal "Heme": Soy leghemoglobin, a protein produced via precision fermentation in engineered yeast, is used in some plant-based burgers to mimic the flavor and color of meat.

Bioengineered Vitamins

Golden Rice (Vitamin A): An example of biofortification, Golden Rice was engineered to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A, to combat vitamin deficiencies in developing countries.
Vitamins from Microbial Fermentation: Many commercial vitamins, particularly B2, B12, and C, are produced via fermentation using genetically engineered microorganisms.

AquAdvantage Salmon

Faster-Growing Salmon: This salmon was engineered with a growth hormone gene from another fish species, allowing it to grow to market size much faster. It is the first genetically engineered animal to be approved for human consumption.

Bioengineered Ingredients: A Comparison


Aspect	Conventional Ingredient	Bioengineered Ingredient
Sourcing	Harvested from conventionally bred plants or animals.	Harvested from genetically modified crops or animals, or created via engineered microorganisms.
Traits	Possesses natural traits or those developed through traditional crossbreeding.	May have specific traits like herbicide tolerance, pest resistance, or enhanced nutritional content.
Production Cost	Often higher due to potential for crop loss from pests and weeds.	Can be lower due to higher yields and reduced pesticide needs.
Environmental Impact	Varies, but may involve extensive pesticide use and lower yields.	Can reduce reliance on certain pesticides but has potential for gene flow and creates herbicide-tolerant weeds.
Labeling	Not required to have specific BE labeling in the U.S.	Must be labeled as 'bioengineered' if it contains detectable modified DNA.

Labeling for Bioengineered Ingredients

As of January 2022, the USDA National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard requires manufacturers to disclose if a food contains bioengineered ingredients. This can be done in one of four ways:

A written disclosure, such as "Contains a bioengineered food ingredient," on the package.
A standard USDA "BIOENGINEERED" symbol.
An electronic or digital link (like a QR code) that leads to more information.
A phone number for consumers to call or text for information.

Crucially, this standard has specific exemptions. Foods from animals that have been fed bioengineered feed, and highly refined ingredients where modified DNA is no longer detectable, are not required to carry the label. For shoppers seeking to avoid all bioengineered or genetically engineered products, organic certification or the Non-GMO Project Verified label are more comprehensive options.

Conclusion

Bioengineered ingredients are a diverse and increasingly common part of the modern food system, ranging from whole produce like pink pineapple and Arctic apples to highly processed ingredients like corn syrup and soy lecithin derived from BE crops. The technology is also used to create specialized enzymes for food processing and vitamins for fortified foods. Understanding what are examples of bioengineered ingredients and how they are labeled under the USDA standard allows consumers to make informed decisions. While labels offer some transparency, particularly for whole foods with detectable modified DNA, consumers interested in avoiding all forms of bioengineered content may need to consult third-party certifications like organic labeling.

Frequently Asked Questions

The term "bioengineered food" is the federal government's term for GMOs under the USDA standard, but it has a narrower definition. Some products made with GMOs are exempt from the disclosure rule and do not require a "BE" label, particularly if the modified DNA is not detectable in the finished product.

Highly refined ingredients derived from bioengineered crops are not required to be labeled if the refining process has removed all detectable modified genetic material. Some manufacturers voluntarily disclose this with a "derived from bioengineering" statement.

The USDA maintains a list of commercially available bioengineered foods, which includes crops like alfalfa, corn, canola, soy, sugar beet, and papaya, as well as AquAdvantage salmon. The list guides what products may require a disclosure.

According to regulatory agencies like the FDA and the National Academy of Sciences, currently available bioengineered foods are as safe as their conventional counterparts. The labeling is for consumer disclosure, not an indicator of health risk.

No, products like meat, milk, and eggs from animals fed bioengineered crops (like corn, soy, or alfalfa) are not required to be labeled under the standard. The disclosure only applies to the food product itself if it contains detectable modified DNA.

Look for the USDA's official 'bioengineered' symbol, text that says 'bioengineered food' or 'contains a bioengineered food ingredient,' a scannable QR code, or a phone number on the product package. The disclosure is often found near the ingredient list.

Bioengineering techniques are also used for non-food applications. Examples include certain cotton varieties modified for pest resistance used in textiles, and the production of medicines like human insulin from engineered bacteria.

Bioengineered enzymes are common in food processing. Examples include chymosin (used to make cheese), amylases (used in baking), and specific proteases produced by microorganisms through precision fermentation.