To think genetically modified food will now be allowed in our supermarkets?

[ReadyPayerTwo]

One of my biggest fears about the Tory victory and the ability to now 'strike a massive trade deal' that Trump tweeted about just after the 10pm exit poll, is that the European ban on GM foods obviously won't apply in the UK anymore.

Friends and relatives of mine who recently returned from living in the US have said that, unless you can afford to shop in Whole Foods (and who can), the quality and nutritional value of what is all GM fruit and vegetables is incredibly poor and that it's contributed massively to the obesity crisis, as people end up having to eat three times as much to make up for what it lacks in taste or nutrition.

Would it be made clear to consumers if supermarkets started selling GM food - would they have to be labelled as such? Or would we just not be told and find out a couple of years down the line that almost everything is now GM and there was nothing we could do about it?

My friends live in America and shop at Whole Foods because my friend got very ill after they moved there and just ate a typical American diet (not fast foods though, just normal foods).

I am very worried about food standards here following suit. There seem to be lots of health issues linked to the American diet (again, not even fast foods, just their standard supermarket foods)

Maybe instead we need to start work on developing a UK produce trademark like other countries have to promote UK made/produced foods.

Do you really think a US-UK trade deal would allow that ?

Friends and relatives of mine who recently returned from living in the US have said that, unless you can afford to shop in Whole Foods (and who can), the quality and nutritional value of what is all GM fruit and vegetables is incredibly poor and that it's contributed massively to the obesity crisis, as people end up having to eat three times as much to make up for what it lacks in taste or nutrition.

I regularly shop at Whole Foods, it's not that expensive. However, I'm interested in how your friend knows the produce at regular grocery stores have lower nutritional value? My local stores have very nice, fresh, flavorful produce. I don't feel the need to eat 3 apples when I want an apple because of a "lack of taste or nutrition." 🙄

I think the obesity problem in the states is more due to the huge portion sizes, high fat and sugar content, proportion of over processed food, and lack of exercise than GM foods.

You gave an example of how hungry you feel after eating a ready meal - these are also full of fat and sugar which makes you want to eat more.

Have you got any evidence that people who prepare meals from scratch using GM ingredients, are fatter than people cooking from scratch using non GM ingredients?

GM does not in any way mean lower nutritional value. What are your sources for this claim?

serendipityjane

I used to live in Australia and yes, I do think an agreement with any country should allow this. Why do you think the USA would/should be able to stop it? Why do you think the USA has so much power? If anything, the E.U. might continue to apply pressure to restrict it.

Food is only one aspect of a trade agreement. Australia has done this and successfully traded with USA, why would UK not be successful in having a locally made programme in place like it.

What a complete load of old crap.

Biology academic here; absolutely nothing wrong with GM crops. It's all scaremongering bollocks.

Biology academic here; absolutely nothing wrong with GM crops. It's all scaremongering bollocks.

There's nothing wrong with pigs, but some people chose not to eat them, so bigger bollocks back to you.

GM is just a faster and more targeted way of doing exactly what humans have done with their food since the beginning of time.

No it’s not. Humans have done selective breeding. GM includes CRISPR gene splicing where you have cross species through cross kingdom DNA insertions happening. Humans at the “beginning of time” would never have been able to put in fungal or fish or grasshopper DNA into corn.

I'm more worried about this www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47036119

I used to live in Australia and yes, I do think an agreement with any country should allow this. Why do you think the USA would/should be able to stop it?

Actually I don't think the US should be able to stop it, however ..

Why do you think the USA has so much power?

Because it's a zillion times bigger than the UK so gets to write the rules. Of course if you believe a plucky UK, no matter how desperate for a US trade deal would hold out over that, then that's what you believe.

If anything, the E.U. might continue to apply pressure to restrict it

I'm sure they will. However come 1/2/2020 that won't affect the UK.

There's nothing wrong with pigs, but some people chose not to eat them, so bigger bollocks back to you.

Exactly. I choose not to eat GM food due to my religious beliefs much like Jewish and Muslim followers do not eat pigs.

Just herewith - That article is nearly a year old!

"There's nothing wrong with pigs, but some people chose not to eat them, so bigger bollocks back to you."

I do not see the point you are trying to make. People choose not to eat many things, what of it?

Saying GM crops (note crops, not pigs) are dangerous or sub par nutritionally just isnt true. So yes, bollocks.

Yes portions are larger in the US but often people dont finish them and end up taking the leftovers home in doggy bags.

Saying GM crops (note crops, not pigs) are dangerous or sub par nutritionally just isnt true

Which I never said anywhere in this thread. So once again bollocks back to you. With knobs on.

GM foods aren’t necessarily bad or less nutritious. Many GM projects involve increasing nutritional value after all. GM can also be used to reduce the environmental impacts of farming and to prevent food scarcity. While there are issues surrounding pesticide resistant GM products, a blanket ban is not a good thing. I think the question you are asking is will Britain import low quality foods in general from the US and how will consumers be able to avoid them?

Which I never said anywhere in this thread.

Other posters have said it though on this thread.

Mamamia456 - 29th January this year. Do you think that they will retreat from that stance now?

GM foods are already allowed in the EU. Many are grown in the EU. So your question is really strange unless you set out to be alarmist.

The question for the UK going forward will be whether we want to change the regulatory framework for GM foods.

www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20151013STO97392/eight-things-you-should-know-about-gmos

serendipityjane

Ummmm! It’s great that you think Australia is more plucky than the UK then. My point remains though. I can’t see why the UK would not be able to do something that has been done by other countries. It is not a new concept , and there are other trading partners available for food, we are already dealing with a good number already.

Yes, yes, the USA is a big trading partner, but there are others.

Friends and relatives of mine who recently returned from living in the US have said that, unless you can afford to shop in Whole Foods (and who can), the quality and nutritional value of what is all GM fruit and vegetables is incredibly poor...

I’ve had a couple of stints living in the US and all the fruit and veg I bought in regular supermarkets (not just Whole Foods) was unbelievably good and SO much better than anything I could find in Tesco/Asda/Sainsburys/Waitrose etc here! I don’t know where your friends lived, and of course America is a big place, but I really have to laugh at the idea that our supermarket produce is somehow so much better.

"Which I never said anywhere in this thread. So once again bollocks back to you. With knobs on"

I was referring to the OP that said GM was sub par nutritionally, so knobs are on you.

I was referring to the OP that said GM was sub par nutritionally, so knobs are on you.

Then why did you quote me in that reply ? Make your mind up !