Are we GM-free?

In April, the European Commission published a list of authorised genetically modified (GM) foods and feeds which have been notified according to Regulation 1829/2003. This list consists of products authorised for use in food and feed prior to the implementation of the regulation, plus two new products which have been notified since the regulation came into force.

There are 26 in total, of which 25 are foodstuffs from GM crops. One product is a GM biomass, generated as a by-product of lysine production, which being high in protein, is utilised in animal feed.

What is surprising about this one entry is that it is the only entry for GM biomass used anywhere in the food or feed industry. With so many ingredients, additives and processing aids produced by fermentation of GM micro-organisms, it raises a question over the fate of the rest of the fermentation industry's biomass.

Focus has been sharpened on illegal GM products finding their way into the European food chain, such as GM papaya in Germany and unauthorised Bt10 maize -- sold in the US for the past four years and quite likely, as a result, to be present in food products in Europe.

The European Union has responded to this admission by brandishing the traceability card on imports, demanding certification of 'free-from Bt10'.

While it feels that traceability is the hot topic of the moment, it is likely that we can expect this focus on illegal GM to continue.

Admittedly these issues hit the press when discovered on a large scale or in repetitive identifications, but part of the reason for the new GM legislation was to increase consumer confidence that GM ingredients were appropriately controlled and regulated.

In the UK at least, there has not been a noticeable increase in labelling of GM ingredients since the regulation came into force.

So coming back to my original point, let us hope that the rather limited list of authorised GM ingredients does not become another consumer confidence crisis!