2001 AACC Annual Meeting Charlotte, North Carolina October 14-18, 2001 Charlotte Convention Center

In Europe and many other parts of the world, acceptance of transgenic food crops has steadily decreased and the conviction that food and even feed products will be free of components of transgenic crops for the coming decade has become widespread. Opposition against transgenic food crops started in 1995 with the import of transgenic soy beans from the US. Some considered these products as insufficiently safe, others feared introduction of new genes in the environment. Many considered forced consumption of transgenic components as unacceptable - segregation of transgenic and non-transgenic crops being impossible at that time. The expected decrease in resistance when, within some years, consumers were better informed did not become true. Trust in governments declaring transgenic food products as safe has dwindled, due to BSE and other food crises. The European Commission, aiming at creating informed choice for consumers, introduced in 2000 mandatory labeling of food products for all components being for over 1% of transgenic origin. All food producers have decided to avoid labeling - higher costs for non-transgenic components are preferred over the risk of having products as a target for actions of NGO's such as Greenpeace. Many producers also avoid the use of components associated with transgenic crops even if labeling is not required. So the consumer can only choose for non-transgenic products. The 'non-transgenic crops' issue is broadening: NGO's are starting to ask for meat of animals fed with non-transgenic feed. The attitude in various countries as well as ways for improving acceptance will be discussed.