GM potatoes to be grown in Europe

GM potatoes

The subject of genetically modified (GM) food has always been a controversial one. Now the European Commission has ruled that farmers will be able to grow fields of GM potatoes in Europe for the first time.

This is the first approval for a GM crop to be grown on a commercial scale in Europe for 12 years and was immediately criticised by environmental groups.

The GM Amflora potato has been developed by German chemical giant BASF to produce more starch and is expected to be grown in Germany, the Czech Republic and Sweden. The potato is actually produced for the starch industry, and not for human consumption. It has been developed as a thickening agent for paper, adhesives, and textiles.

It is unlikely to be grown in Britain because there is no demand for the potato in UK industry.

Before the authorisation of this potato, only a strain of genetically modified maize made by Monsanto had been authorised for cultivation in Europe since 1998, the British paper The Telegraph reports.

Scientific trials

GM crops can also be grown for scientific trials and the UK Government has given permission for a number of GM potatoes trials recently.

But, this is the first time GM has been grown on a commercial scale in Europe.

John Dalli, EU Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner, said its latest decision was "based on a considerable volume of sound science."

Martin Hausling, a German Green MEP said approval of the potato "flies in the face of the 70 percent of consumers who are against GM food, as well as the anti-GM position of the European Parliament."

However Heike Moldenhauer, of Friends of the Earth, said the potato carried a controversial antibiotic resistant gene that could cause problems if it enters the food chain through feeding the industrial pulp from the potatoes to livestock.

"This decision puts profit before people or the environment and will do little to increase public confidence in the Brussels bureaucracy," she said.

Jodie Humphries

Jodie Humphries graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA Hons in Creative Writing in 2008. She has worked for GDS Publishing for the digital group since July 2009. She has previous experience with writing for the web, running her own website since April 2007.

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