Food Safety - Biotechnology

No genetically modified wheats are commercially available in the UK. Current indications are that the first GM varieties may be grown in Canada or the USA, but only in a minimum of two years' time. The flour milling industry has always been sensitive to concerns on this subject and has been actively involved in promoting consumer choice in the last five years. If genetically modified wheats were to become available in the UK, millers would have to be convinced of their public acceptability and practical potential before using them.

nabim originally developed its policy on biotechnology during 1994. It has since been modified only slightly and is set out here:

• The flour milling industry will only use genetically modified wheat if it is convinced of its safety in terms of the consumer and the environment, its public acceptability and its practical potential.
• nabim will maintain a close relationship with plant breeders and other interested parties in order to ensure the interests of consumers, customers and the industry itself are protected as wheat varieties are developed using biotechnology.
• The milling industry considers modern plant biotechnology to represent a reasonable progression and useful extension of traditional plant breeding techniques. It is not envisaged that genetic modification involving insertion of genes of animal origin into plants will ever be acceptable to the industry.
• nabim will continue to monitor closely developments in the areas of labelling and patenting of agricultural and food products derived from genetically modified organisms. The industry's aim is to be open about the origin of its wheat and to offer consumers all available information about the use of modern biotechnology in breeding.

In general, the industry will remain committed to maintaining the quality of its products in order to satisfy the requirements of customers and consumers alike.