EU labelling of GM foods ‘would mislead consumers’

New EU rules on the labelling of genetically-modified food would mislead the public, it was claimed tonight.

Euro-MPs vote tomorrow on proposals for compulsory declarations on all foods which have anything over 1% of GM material. They would carry labels stating: ‘‘Contains GMO’’ (genetically-modified organisms).

Under the European Commission’s plan, anything under the 1% threshold would not require any label - provided it originates from a ‘‘non-GM source’’.

British Labour MEP David Bowe said that could confuse the public into thinking all unlabelled products are GM-free: ‘‘Many people do not want GM in their food, not even 1% or even the tiniest trace.

‘‘We’ve got to respond to consumer demand and we must not allow retailers and the European Commission to collude in a scheme which effectively deceives the public.’’

But Britain's Consumer’s Association said it would be worse to put a ‘‘GM-free’’ label on foodstuffs which could contain up to 1% of genetically-modified material.

The confusion highlights the lack of scientific methods which can accurately record when a food, particularly processed products from ready meals to chocolate, has no trace of GM material whatsoever.

Only foods easily traced back through a known, short food supply chain or which can be guaranteed not to have been anywhere near genetically-modified material - such as tinned tomatoes - could potentially carry a ‘‘GM-free’’ label with complete certainty.

The CA fears a ‘‘GM-free’’ label would put a premium on such foods, which would become more expensive even though they were a ‘‘normal’’ product.

A CA survey last month showed 87% of UK consumers think foods containing GM derivatives which are undetectable in the final product because they have been processed out, should still be labelled as containing GM.

But the Association has warned that effective labelling is not possible unless accurate traceability systems are developed to identify where GM ingredients are found in the food chain.

Mr Bowe said a ‘‘GM-free’’ label on something which could contain 1% of modified material was ‘‘like offering a vegetarian a cheese pizza with bacon bits on it’’.

He added: ‘‘It is dishonest to say that something is non-GM when it may contain traces of up to 1% GM. If this EU proposal succeeds without the possibility of an additional GM-free label, the wool will have been pulled over consumers’ eyes.’’

No new GM products have been approved for sale in the EU since 1998, when a moratorium for licences for GM products was imposed until the laws could be updated to take account of developments in scientific knowledge. The moratorium is due to end in October this year.

Meanwhile, tomorrow’s vote is the start of the legal EU process. Whatever the view of MEPs, any legislation will have to be approved by EU governments before coming into force.

But the European Parliament has full ‘‘co-decision’’ powers, meaning it can block or reject any new food labelling laws if it is not satisfied with the final agreement.