Biotechnology

The use of biotechnology in crop production has grown around the world since the mid 1990s, with large areas of GM crops being cultivated in North and South America and widespread adoption in India and China.  Around the world, more than 100 million hectares are now planted to GM crops.  So far, the European Union has been wary about permitting the cultivation of GM crops, with only two approvals so far (for a maize variety in 1997 and a potato in 2010).  As yet, there has been no commercialisation of GM wheat anywhere in the world; hence all wheat flour (and food made from it) is of conventional origin.

In common with most other parts of the food sector, UK flour millers have indicated that they will continue to supply flour milled from conventional wheat (ie non-GM).  Only when there is a clear indication of public acceptability will there be any move to the use of GM wheat for food in the UK.