Roughly 90 percent of US corn, soy, and sugar beets are genetically modified. Those crops feed straight into the ingredient lists of most condiments on the shelf. In 2026, a ketchup made without them is no longer a niche choice. It is a label-reading decision shoppers are making at the checkout, every week.
The GMO ingredients hiding in most ketchups
High fructose corn syrup, modified corn starch, and natural flavors carried in soy or canola derivatives all trace back to GMO row crops unless the label says otherwise. If you cannot find a Non-GMO Project Verified mark, assume those ingredients are GMO sourced.
Want the full breakdown of how HFCS specifically slipped into the ketchup aisle? Read our HFCS guide.
What non GMO actually means
Non-GMO Project Verified is a third-party standard. Every at-risk ingredient is traced, tested, and audited well below the 0.9 percent compliance threshold. It is not the same as organic, but it is the most rigorous non-GMO mark in North America. See our plain-English GMO explainer.
Why 78 ketchup
78 Original Ketchup is Non-GMO Project Verified. 78 percent real tomatoes, cane sugar instead of HFCS, and every spice carrier traced to a non-GMO source. It pours cleaner, tastes brighter, and reads honest on the back panel.