Hite Jinro's Terra beer earns 5th consecutive NON-GMO certification, a first for domestic brews

Hite Jinro announced Thursday that its flagship beer brand Terra has received NON-GMO certification from the Non-GMO Project for five consecutive years, making it the first domestic beer to earn the distinction.

The NON-GMO certification system verifies that a product uses ingredients grown and harvested from seeds that have not been genetically modified. Certification requires verification of raw materials and the supply chain, and certified products must undergo annual renewal assessments.

Terra has verified that all its raw materials and secondary ingredients are free from genetic modification. However, under Ministry of Food and Drug Safety regulations, ingredients eligible for NON-GMO labeling in South Korea are limited to soybeans, corn, sugar beets, canola, cotton and alfalfa. Among Terra's raw materials, corn starch falls under this category.