GMW: EU votes on GM potatoes - Contamination cannot be excluded, says biotech

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GMW: EU votes on GM potatoes - Contamination " cannot be

excluded " , says biotech industry

" GM WATCH " <info

Mon, 4 Dec 2006 11:38:06 GMT

 

 

 

 

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Friends of the Earth Europe

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release: Monday 4th December

 

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EU VOTES ON GROWING GENETICALLY MODIFIED POTATOES

Contamination of food " cannot be excluded " , says biotech industry

 

Brussels, 4 December – Friends of the Earth Europe has warned that

Europe's potatoes will be at risk of contamination if genetically

modified

(GM) potatoes are grown commercially. EU Member States will vote today

on a proposal to grow GM potatoes – the first EU vote on the

cultivation of GM crops for 8 years. [1]

 

Helen Holder, GMO Campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe said,

" Allowing genetically modified potatoes to be grown in Europe would be a

disaster. These potatoes are not intended for human consumption, but the

biotech industry itself admits that they would end up in the food chain.

The public would end up eating them if they liked it or not, which

would hugely damage trust in Europe's potato industry. "

 

The potato has been genetically modified by the chemical giant BASF to

increase its amylopectin content, which is used to produce starch.

Although it is not intended to enter the food chain, BASF state that " it

cannot be excluded that amylopectin potato… may be used as or may be

present in food… " In this case BASF say it will be labeled as `produced

from genetically modified potato'. [2]

 

 

Furthermore, if approved today the potatoes could be grown before they

are authorised for human consumption, even though BASF admits it cannot

prevent them entering the human food chain. Today's vote by member

states will be solely for the cultivation of the GM potato to make starch

for industrial uses, for example in the production of paper. The

European Commission is still considering a separate application for

them to be

used as foods and animal feeds.

 

 

 

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For more information, please contact:

 

Helen Holder, GMO campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe: Tel: +32

25 42 0182. Mobile: +32 474 857638; Email: helen.holder

 

Rosemary Hall, Communications Officer at Friends of the Earth Europe:

Tel:+32 25 42 61 05, Mobile: +32 485 930515, Email:

rosemary.hall

 

 

NOTES:

[1] The Regulatory 2001/18 committee, comprised of experts from each EU

member state, will vote today on the application for commercial

cultivation of the genetically modified potato EH92-527-1. The

application has

been approved already by the European Commission. If the committee does

not agree by a qualified majority, then the application is sent to the

Council of Ministers.

 

[2] Application for Amylopectin Potato Event EH92-527-1 according to

Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, BASF Plant Sciences.

 

 

 

 

 

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