ZEGO, a San Francisco startup, is expanding its pioneering allergen and gluten testing and transparency system to glyphosate, over 400 agricultural chemicals, and heavy metals, like lead and arsenic. Consumers can access the test results for any ZEGO product on the company’s website or by scanning the QR “T-CODE” on any ZEGO package. A certified Women Owned Business and B-Corporation, ZEGO is showing through its bold leadership that consumers can have, and should demand, verified clean food. ZEGO is the first food company to provide this level of information to consumers and is rolling it out across its entire brand, including the new products it is launching at Natural Products Expo West – Raw Oats, Muesli, and Protein Powder. These products join ZEGO’s existing lines of Mix-Ins and 100% Fruit and Seed Bars. All products are made in a facility free of the top 12 allergens. ZEGO’s new products are a direct response to multiple investigative reports by Food Democracy Now, the Detox Project, the Environmental Working Group, and the Clean Label Project that measured surprisingly high levels of glyphosate residue (found in products like Round Up) in popular oat-based foods, and lead in 75% of the most popular plant-based protein powders. Consumers who scan the TCODE on ZEGO packages will see, for example, that ZEGO’s oats have no measurable glyphosate, its protein powder has no measurable lead, and its Mix-Ins seed and fruit blends are completely free of over 400 agricultural chemicals. “This comes down to one, simple truth. People have a right to know what’s in their food,” said Colleen Kavanagh, ZEGO’s founder and CEO. “Consumers are clamoring to know what is in their food that is not declared on the ingredient label so they can make informed choices about what to eat.” As noted by Disruptor Daily, ZEGO’s blockchain-based provenance system is a promising approach to ferreting out fraud and contamination in the food industry. “One of the first tests we ran when we started on this path years ago was on an organic cinnamon that the test showed had surprisingly high levels of glyphosate residue in it,” said Kavanagh. “We reported it to the company and found another brand that had no measurable amounts of the chemical.” Glyphosate residue is being measured in many products from spices to grains. The U.S. farmers who grow ZEGO’s oats, however, have signed contracts not to use glyphosate-based chemicals like Round Up on their fields, and to use the purity protocol growing methods so their oats will meet the highest gluten free standard (to 5ppm) and are safe for all people with Celiac disease to eat. ZEGO is also working to get consumers engaged and involved in another way - offering a first chance to get the new products by supporting their Kickstarter campaign. The campaign was fully funded within 24 hours of launching, and now they are working towards their stretch goal during the remainder of the campaign, which ends February 28. ### Instagram: https://instagram.com/zegofoods LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zegosnacks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/zegofoods Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZegoSnacks/ Website: www.zegofoods.com #poweredbyzego Natural Products Expo West 2019: Booth Pavilion F148 and ACC 144 Arena About ZEGO ZEGO makes delicious, purity tested foods that are appropriate for most all special diet needs and wants, from top 12 allergy free and gluten free to no added sugar, paleo, and vegan. ZEGO uses its packaging and marketing materials to educate consumers about the need for more transparency in food and how to advocate for it by asking other companies to provide the same purity transparency ZEGO does. The company’s vision is that more companies will follow ZEGO’s lead and start testing, reporting, and asking supplier for ingredients with less chemical and metal residue. The domino effect will mean cleaner food, cleaner fields, healthier people and a more sustainable planet. ZEGO has certifications for GFCO Gluten Free, USDA Organic, Non-GMO Verified and Kosher. ZEGO is certified as a B Corp and a Woman Owned Enterprise. For interviews, images or samples, please contact: Lisa Borden at Borden Communications [email protected] 416.484.6489