EU ends ban on GM food

Food made from genetically modified crops has been given the go-ahead for sale in shops in the EU.

Today's ruling allowing the sale of tins of GM sweetcorn effectively opens the way for all GM food.

It marks the end of a six-year EU ban and the move was hailed as a "massive step forward" by GM crop companies.

The move allows supermarkets to sell GM sweetcorn as long as it is clearly labelled in the list of ingredients.

Under EU laws, actually growing the crop in Europe would still be illegal, but it is already grown in America, Canada and Argentina.

David Byrne, the commissioner for health and consumer protection, said an insect-resistant strain of corn from Swissbased-firm Syngenta was approved after "the most rigorous pre-marketing assessment in the world".

He added: "It has been scientifically assessed as being as safe as any conventional maize," he said in Brussels. "Food safety is therefore not an issue, it is a question of consumer choice."

Supermarkets claim that although the GM corn has been approved, consumer misgivings about GM food mean it may not be sold in Britain.

David Southwell of the British Retail Consortium said: "Customers hold the power here. We don't expect there to be a high demand and our members would only put on their shelves products they know will sell. We are not for or against GM, it is a decision for our customers."

Tesco also confirmed it had "no plans" to start selling GM sweetcorn, but admitted that if customer demand was there, "we would not rule it out".

Markus Payer of Syngenta said the ruling by the European Commission "is a clear signal that the gates for GM are opening".

He added: "However, there are still issues, and for these crops to be imported, there has to be a business case. It is really up to consumers now."

The proposal for the strain of sweetcorn, known as Bt11, is the first of 34 applications for GM products to start working its way through a new approval process.

Syngenta's corn is less controversial than some of the other strains under consideration because it is for consumption, not cultivation.

Euro- MP David Bowe, Labour ' s environment spokesman in the European Parliament, described the move as good news for consumers and farmers. He said: "To approve the growing of this crop might be seen as politically brave, but when it comes to the science, it is a nobrainer.

"The crop has been tested. The crop is perfectly safe, there is no harm to the environment - let's suck it and see."