Slow Food

GMO potatoes in the food chain? No, thanks!

Italy - 10 Oct 07

GMO producers continue their onslaught despite the alarming opinions of environmentalists and repeated statements of disagreement from consumers. Tomorrow the European Commission should make a statement regarding the possible authorisation of the use of GM potatoes invented by the German multinational Basf in animal fodder. Only the foliage would end up in the animals’ mangers, while approval was granted to grow the tuber last July for the production of cellulose. The dossier presented by the German multinational, requesting authorisation to use by-products directly in the food industry, has been temporarily obstructed due to the contrary opinion of many scientists who claim that the human body would risk becoming immune to commonly used antibiotics. The matter under discussion tomorrow is therefore a sort of Trojan horse to obtain direct access into the human food chain through animal fodder. Carlo Petrini was consulted during a brief trip to Germany, a country which has declared itself favourable to the introduction of the “superpotato” produced by the colossal German chemical company. This is what he said: «When experimental cultivation of the Basf potato was approved, the response to our protests was to say the potato was grown for industrial purposes because amylopectin (production of which is facilitated by the GM potato) was only needed for paper production. But now our worst fears have come true and we are faced with political management of the EU that is heedless of its role as representative of the causes of civil society and instead acts as the multinationals’ henchman ». The chairman of Slow Food International added: «Once again, we strenuously request that decrees regarding the value of typical products, protecting the environment and the health of consumers should be followed up with coherent and responsible action from the European Commission».