UK: GM-free products can contain up to 1% of GM ingredients

UK Government has announced that any food could be contaminated with genetically modified material - even if it is labelled GM-free - backing up the belief that experts were already aware of the risks of contamination.Environment Minister told MPs that whatever the distance between GM trial sites and other crops, some contamination could occur. Conservatives accused the government of losing control of the GM issue, and anti-GM campaigners seized on the comments to call for a halt to all UK GM-crop trials.Separation distances around GM trials can prevent only 99.5% of contamination, so 0.5% of GM pollen could theoretically contaminate other crops. An EU ruling says foods labelled non-GM can contain up to 1% of GM ingredients. The main conclusion states urgent action is required to prevent the current farm-scale trials and test sites contaminating crops and honey. The problem is that small and sometimes tiny amounts of pollen may - and can - travel considerable distances. It has been said, that for too long the government has been trying to cover up the extent of GM contamination in Britain's produce and farmland and have completely lost control of this issue - failing to see how important it is to the British consumer. GM producing firms are now finding it harder to be heard above the noise of anti-GM lobbies.