EU laws on GM food a con


01 September 1998


EU laws on GM food ‘a con’


NEW measures forcing food manufacturers to label genetically modified (GM) ingredients come into effect today. But environmental groups have dismissed the regulations as a con.

The European Union directive requires companies to show whether GM soya and maize are used in their foodstuffs. But the regulation exempts foods which contain soya oil or other soya derivatives, such as the thickening agent lecithin.

Environmental groups have attacked the loophole, claiming it could mean most processed foods will contain undisclosed GM derivatives in the future.

“Shoppers are being conned by politicians into believing that this label will help them avoid genetically altered food,” said Adrian Bebb, spokesman for Friends of the Earth.

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