As governments, regulators and food companies continue to assess the fallout from last week’s controversial French study on GM maize, UK consumers are increasingly comfortable with the idea of GM food on British supermarket shelves, a new survey for The Grocer reveals.

Fifty-four per cent of UK consumers say they would buy GM food, according to a snapshot survey of 250 people by Him! this week. When The Grocer ran a survey on public attitudes to GM 10 years ago, only 34% said they would buy GM.

Even those who would not personally buy GM food are largely comfortable with the idea of GM products being available in the UK. However, clear and transparent labelling is seen as vital. Nearly half of consumers (49%) say they might consider buying GM food but would want it to be clearly labelled, while 26% agree with the statement “I personally wouldn’t have a problem with GM food being sold in the UK, as long as it’s clearly labelled so people have a choice”.

Only 15% of consumers are completely anti-GM and say “I would not buy GM food and I don’t think it should be allowed to be sold in the UK, regardless of whether it’s clearly labelled or not”.

How the GM storm unfolded

Monsanto’s Roundup, the world’s best-selling weedkiller, and NK603, the GM maize resistant to it were linked to tumours, organ damage and premature death in research is published in the scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology (19/09).

The study is quickly criticised by other scientists for its sample size, use of cancer-prone Sprague-Dawley rats and statistical methodology.

Criigen member and molecular biologist Dr Michael Antoniou vigorously refutes allegations concerning the study’s robustness.

The EC orders EFSA to review the study (20/09).

Monsanto says study didn’t meet acceptable standards (21/09)

Russia orders a ban on the maize. (22/09)

The results come one week after the publication of a peer-reviewed research paper found rats fed, over their two-year lifetime, on Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller, the world’s best-selling weedkiller, and Monsanto’s GM NK603 maize, were more likely to develop cancer, multiple organ failure, and die earlier than rats fed with conventional maize. The study was the first to examine the long-term effects of NK603, which is currently approved for human consumption on the basis of a 90-day feeding trial.

Monsanto said the study did “not meet minimum acceptable standards for this type of scientific research” and the findings were not supported by the data. But on Tuesday, Russia announced it had temporarily suspended imports of NK603 while the country’s Institute of Nutrition looks into the study.

EFSA is due to publish an initial review of the paper next week under orders from the EC .

Despite the controversy, most consumers still feel there is not enough information on GM to allow them to make an informed choice. In our survey this week just 20% said they felt they knew enough about GM foods compared with 26% in 2002, though 47% said the paper made them want to find out more about GM.

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