Europe to require labels on GM foods

Cooking oil and animal feed must also be labeled.

Supermarkets must ensure that the label on any food containing more than 0.9% of a GM organism states: “This product is produced from GMOs.”

Foodstuffs, including grains, must be traced from inception to their arrival in the EU through processing and into the supermarket. EU members are expected to approve the legislation this fall.

The U.S. government and food industry organizations criticized the legislation, calling it burdensome to companies, potentially prejudicial against GM foods, and an additional trade barrier.

According to a Reuters report, British markets have told government officials they will not carry GM foods because consumers do not want them.