A wide range of food with small traces of genetically modified ingredients will need to be specially labelled under new European Union rules from this weekend as the bloc struggles to accept biotech goods.
The labelling regulations, in force from April 18, are part of efforts by the European Commission to provide consumers with choice and reassurance as it seeks to end a ban on new biotech products launched by a group of EU states five years ago.
The Commission is acting amid lobbying from the biotech and food industry as well as under the pressure of a suit brought to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by the United States, whose farmers say they are losing money due to the EU's GM ban.
But many consumers, environmental groups and several governments of the EU remain resistant to biotech foods.
"There will be no sea change (among member states) in the immediate future," said an EU diplomat. "It will be felt in the medium to long term."
All food products and animal feed containing more than 0.9 percent of GMOs will have to be labelled from April 18.
Currently, all food containing more than one percent of GMOs has to be labelled, but not if the food is so processed that it is impossible to detect GMOs in the final product.
Animal fodder is excluded from any labelling at present.
"Maize oil derived from GM maize will have to be labelled (which is currently not the case)," said EU Health and Consumer Protection Commission spokeswoman Beate Gminder.
Food containing GMOs produced before the April 18 deadline will not have to be labelled.
Another innovation in the law is that all GMOs will have be traced through the food processing chain, a key food safety demand of GM-sceptic states at the origin of the moratorium.
However, nobody is expecting a flood of new GM products on shop shelves when 70.9 percent of European shoppers are hostile to biotech food, according to a Commission survey.
"The food and drink industry responds to consumer demand and respects their choice," said EU food and drink lobby (CIAA) spokesman Thierry Dieu.
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