Where Could GM Ingredients Be Hiding ?

a. Soya or maize (=corn) products that have not been guaranteed to be non-GM. These could include:  Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein, Tofu, Miso, Tempeh, Soya sauce, Polenta, Tortilla chips and flours and meals made from soya or maize.

b. Derivatives of soya, maize (=corn), cotton or oilseed rape that have not been guaranteed to be non-GM [Derivatives affected include some of the following: “vegetable oil”,  soya derivatives such as soya oil (eg as a carrier for vitamins A,D,E), soya starch, soya fibre, lecithin (E322) and vitamin E (d alpha tocopherol); maize derivatives such as corn oil, cornstarch, modified starch, starch-based granulation additives, corn syrup, xanthan gum and some brands of dextrose, glucose, dextrins, maltodextrins, sorbitol and ascorbic acid (=vitamin C) and some coating agents or carriers for vitamins, colours and flavours; cotton derivatives such as cottonseed oil; oilseed rape derivatives such as canola (=rapeseed oil)]

c. Honey or honey products that may come from hives within six miles of a GM crop or test site [Honey products include honey, propolis, beeswax, royal jelly and pollen]

d. GM micro-organisms or their products [GM micro-organisms include some bacteria, brewers yeasts and bakers yeasts.  Products of GM bacteria include riboflavin (=vitamin b2), aspartame (Equal/Nutrasweet), possibly amino acids such as tryptophan and some of the following enzymes that are used as processing aids (these may not be mentioned on lists of ingredients): alpha-Acetolactate decarboxylase, alpha-Amylase, Catalase, Chymosin A, Chymosin B, Cyclodextrin-glucosyl transferase, beta-Glucanase, Glucose isomerase, Glucose oxidase, Hemicellulase (xylanase), Lipase, triacylglycerol, Maltogenic amylase, Pectinesterase, Protease and Pullulanase. Products of GM yeasts include some yeast extracts, alcohol and fermented products]

f. Products of GM-fed or treated animals. [Such products include meat, gelatin, bonemeal, milk, whey cheese, butter, eggs and albumen from animals raised on feed containing GM ingredients or injected with GM growth hormones such as BST (rBGH)]

E NUMBERS
Additives which may come from GM sources (with many thanks to the Food Commission)

E101, E101a	Riboflavin (Vitamin B6) - can be made by GM bacteria
E150	Caramel colouring from chemically treated sugars - can be made from GM cornstarch
E153	Carbon Black - colouring from burnt plant matter - can inc GM crops
E160d	Lycopene - red colouring from tomatoes - can be GM tomatoes
E161c	Cryptoxanthin - yellow colouring - can be from GM maize
E306-9	Relatives of Vitamin E - can be from GM soya oil
E322	Lecithin - can be from GM soya
E270, E325, E326, E327	Lactic acid compounds - can be from GM maize
E415	Xanthan gum - can be from GM maize
E460(a), E460(b), E461, E462, E463, E464, E465, E466	Thickeners from plant cellulose - can be from GM crops
E471, E472a, E472(b), E473, E475, E476b, E477, E479a, E479b	Thickeners and emulsifiers - can be from GM soya or maize oil or from lactic acid from GM cornstarch
E570, E572, E573	Anticaking agents - can be from GM soya or maize oil
E620, E621, E622, E623, E624, E625	Flavour enhancers - can be from fermented GM soya
E951	Aspartame - can be produced by GM bacteria
E1404, E1410, E1412, E1413, E1414, E1420, E1422, E1440, E1442, E1450	Thickeners - can be from starches from GM plants

Could it be GM ?

Currently no GM crops are grown for sale in the UK and only four GM foods are have been approved for import into the UK – soya, maize, tomato puree and rapeseed oil (canola). The two major ones are soya and maize (corn), both of which are used to make many 'derivatives' that are used as food additives. Soya is used to make lecithin and soya oil. Maize is used to make corn oil, cornstarch, cornsyrup, glucose, dextrose and xanthan gum. Only Safeways tomato puree is now GM. Rapeseed oil (canola) is used in cooking oils (=vegetable oils, edible oils etc) and margarines. It is possible that some foods contain cottonseed oil from GM cotton. Soya, maize and nearly all these 'derivatives' can now be obtained in non-GM forms by manufacturers.

This means that most simple unprocessed wholefoods made from a single crop will definitely be non-GM.
It is more difficult to be sure about the GM status of highly processed foods, many of which contain the additives listed above. Processed foods, in addition to containing the 'derivatives' listed above can be treated with GM enzymes (which need not be mentioned on labels). Around 15 GM enzymes have been approved by MAFF. The only GM enzyme that significantly affects the wholefood sector is Chymosin, a rennet substitute that is used in many vegetarian cheeses.



WHOLEFOODS THAT ARE LIKELY OR CERTAIN TO BE NON-GM:

ORGANIC PRODUCTS
ALL products certified by the Soil Association and other organic certification bodies are non-GM

VEGETARIAN PRODUCTS
Products certified by the Vegetarian Society must be non-GM BUT this does not cover the use of GM Chymosin in cheeses and cheese products (such as whey). They say:
“From August 1st 1999 all foods approved by the Society will be free from genetically modified crops. The Society's policy concerning GM crops goes further than the proposed EU directive and states that approved foods will be 100% GM free, and will also exclude foods where GM ingredients have been used in the processing or production, but the DNA is no longer present.”
Certified Vegetarian products that contain no dairy products should be completely non-GM.

PRODUCTS GROWN IN THE UK
All non-GM as long as they are untreated and contain no additives.

FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
All non-GM

BEANS, PEAS AND PULSES
Except for soya beans these will all be non-GM

CEREAL GRAINS AND UNPROCESSED CEREAL FLAKES, PASTAS AND FLOURS
If these are not made from maize (corn) and contain no additives then they will be non-GM

NUTS AND SEEDS
All non-GM if unprocessed (but if they have been roasted or coated GM substances may be present)

DRIED FRUIT
This is all non-GM BUT many dried fruits are coated in oils that could be GM

UNPROCESSED AND COLD_PRESSED OILS
Nut and seed oils (sunflower, sesame, safflower, peanut/groundnut, almond, walnut, pumpkin, flaxseed etc) and olive oils are non-GM.
The only oils that could be GM are soya oil, corn oil and canola (rapeseed oil) – which may be present in vaguely labelled 'cooking oils', 'vegetable oils', or 'edible oils'.

TEA AND COFFEE
Coffee, Tea, pure Cocoa powder and Herbal Teas should be non-GM (unless they contain additives).

PROBLEM AREAS
It is strongly recommended that retailers and wholesalers obtain clear guarantees from suppliers of the following products that they are non-GM. GFA can give advice on procedures here, and can undertake stock checks in return for costs incurred.

MAIZE PRODUCTS
Popcorn, Polenta, sweetcorn, tortilla chips and other maize products – especially if imported from the USA.

SOYA PRODUCTS
TVP, Tofu, Miso, Tempeh, Soya Sauce, Soya milks and other foods containing soya protein – especially if imported from the USA.

BISCUITS, CAKES, BREADS – can contain many GM ingredients such as:
Oils – soya oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil and 'vegetable oils' can be GM
Lecithin – lecithin is often from 'unsegregated' soya that is partially GM
Yeast – some forms of Bakers Yeasts are genetically modified.
Flour-improvers – many breads contain soya-based 'flour-improvers'.
Sugar – products imported from the USA and some non-European countries may contain sugar from GM sugar beet.

SAUCES AND PICKLES
Oils – soya oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil and 'vegetable oils' can be GM
Lecithin – lecithin is often from 'unsegregated' soya that is partially GM
Sugar – products imported from the USA and some non-European countries may contain sugar from GM sugar beet.


CONFECTIONARY, JAMS AND SPREADS
Lecithin – lecithin, found in some chocolates, is often from 'unsegregated' soya that is partially GM
Sugar – products imported from the USA and some non-European countries may contain sugar from GM sugar beet.


YEAST PRODUCTS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND VINEGARS
Some Brewers Yeasts are genetically modified. These can be a source for yeast extracts and can be used in the fermentation of beers and wines from which vinegars may be made.

DAIRY PRODUCTS AND OTHER ANIMAL PRODUCTS
European Countries have banned the use by the dairy industry of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), which is a GM product, however this could be present in some dairy products imported from the USA – such as cheeses and ice creams.

Most farm animals, unless they are organically raised, are currently fed on partially GM animal feed. We are asking businesses to encourage their suppliers to switch to non-GM animal feed and will require them to do so by the 1^st November 2000

HONEY AND HONEY PRODUCTS
Honey products from any country that grows GM crops in an unregulated manner (such as the USA, Canada and Argentina) may be contaminated with GM pollen or may be made from nectar from GM plants. All honey from countries that grow no GM crops will be GM-free (including nearly all honey from Africa). All organic honey is GM-free. In countries that only have trial sites in publicised locations it should be possible to identify which honey is GM-Free, however we have tried to discuss this with the British BeeKeepers Association and they have refused to respond. There is therefore currently no way to identify GM-free honey from the UK.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Most supplements (other than pure herbs) are likely to contain a wide range of GM ingredients and derivatives and many products from GM microbes that are not found in general foods. The Soil Association does not certify any supplements as organic. Unless these products are guaranteed to be GM-free to GFA or similar standards they are probably GM. We are currently compiling a directory of GM-free supplements.

Genetic Food Alert 4 Bertram House, Ticklemore St, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5EJ Tel: 01803 868523 info@geneticfoodalert.org.uk