Along with the growing demand for organics, the demand for good quality spices and seasonings are also growing.  Last year, Americans consumed close to a billion pounds of spices, a 20 percent jump in the past decade.(2)

Americans consumed close to a billion pounds of spices last year!

Spices are no different than any other plant in the fact that they can be tainted by contaminants such as insects, mold, yeasts, and pathogens.  To combat this, the United States sterilizes the spices with toxic chemicals!  The most common is ethylene oxide, which is a gas that leaves reside on spices that could be harmful to human health.  Workers who have faced prolonged exposure to the gas have suffered from cancer.  The chemicals are so bad that they have been banned in many European countries and Japan.(2)

Spice companies and growers in the U.S. treat spices with ethylene oxide, a chemical that is banned in European countries and Japan, and known to cause cancer!

McCormick spices have decided that they want to join the clean food movement, meaning that the largest spice company in the world will be almost all organic and non-GMO by 2016!(3)

McCormick has remained the largest spice company in the world, but realized that organic companies were taking their market share.(3)

In total, 80 percent of McCormick’s products will see the new standard, and will adorn a label that allows consumers to know that they are eating non-GMO and organic spices.(3)

Many of the company’s herbs are non-GMO already, but the company wants to be completely transparent on their labels.  They also plan to release a new non-GMO vanilla extract that will compete with rival companies. (3)

McCormick spice company moving to non-GMO, organic spices by 2016 and uses steam treatment instead of harmful chemicals to preserve their spices!

McCormick also wants it’s customers to know that they do not use irradiation and harmful chemicals on their spices, but instead preserve their spices through steam treatments!(3)

This announcement comes right before holiday cooking season.  The company is hoping that their spices will make their way back into homes across the world as consumers grow to trust the company again!