FOE slams Euro plan for useless GM-free labels

Friends of the Earth (FOE) slammed plans by the European Commission to allow soya and maize significantly contaminated by genetically modified (GM) organisms to be exempt from GM labelling regulations.

At present food containing any DNA from genetically modified soya or maize has to be labelled. However, under the European proposal, which could be voted through on 21 October, the soya or maize will not have to be labelled if it contains up to one per cent GM.

Many large food manufacturers and retailers, including Sainsbury's and Waitrose, have told FOE that have much lower contamination thresholds for own brand products than those proposed by the European Commission.

Pete Riley, Senior Food Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:
"Food containing detectable levels of genetically modified organisms must not be exempt from GM labelling regulations. Consumers want and expect GM-free food. Many food manufacturers already reach much stricter contamination targets than the feeble levels planned by the European Commission. The Government must listen to the public mood on this issue and fight for much tougher standards. Anything less would be a victory for the biotech industry and its policy of attempting to flood the market with unsegregated GM ingredients".