GM tomato passes EU test
The safety of products derived by processing genetically modified tomatoes has been accepted by the European Union's Scientific Committee on Food, under the procedures laid down in the EU's Novel Food Regulation. The decision follows a request by Zeneca UK for marketing a tomato variety solely intended for processing. When ripe the tomato softens less quickly than its non-GM counterparts which is better for processing. However the fruit is considered unpalatable and therefore not intended for raw consumption. The tomato is processed using a heat treatment that biologically inactivates the modified genes and their protein products, and the Committee concluded that these tomatoes were as safe for the consumer as products derived from conventional fruits. The Commission will now put forward a draft decision authorising the marketing of these tomatoes, which will be put before the Member States who must decide by a qualified majority whether to follow the Committee's opinion.