Chipotle Announces it is Completely GMO-Free

Chipotle is the first chain restaurant in the U.S. to be GMO-free. The Denver-based company announced on Monday that it will only use non-GMO ingredients in their food.

"There is a lot of debate about genetically modified foods," said Co-CEO Steve Ells in a statement. "Though many countries have already restricted or banned the use of GMO crops, it's clear that a lot of research is still needed before we can truly understand all of the implications of widespread GMO cultivation and consumption. While that debate continues, we decided to move on non-GMO ingredients."

"It's a very big deal," Rebecca Spector, West Coast director at the Center for Food Safety said reported by USA TODAY. "They're setting an example for others that GMO-free can be done."

Ells also revealed that it ShopHouse Southeast Asia Kitchens have stopped using GMO ingredients as well. Ells stated that making the switch to exclusively non-GMOs did not increase the costs significantly. All Chipotle prices have remained the same.

Foods, such as corn and soybeans, are typically genetically modified to improve their chances of fighting off certain diseases. A GMO is an organism that has been modified via genetic engineering. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that in 2014, 94 percent of corn and 93 percent of soybeans came from GMO strains.

Chipotle is technically not 100 percent free because GMOs exists in the chain's beverages, which include soda. Chipotle was the first chain restaurant to inform consumers which foods contain GMO ingredients.

Over the past few years, food and beverage companies have been eliminating certain questionable ingredients. McDonald's announced that it will stop using antibiotic-treated chickens within the next two years. PepsiCo recently announced that it remove aspartame from Diet Pepsi.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stressed that GMOs are safe.