Feb 28, 2011

Glossary

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Zero tolerance

A term referring to the EU policy of not tolerating even minimal traces of a genetically modified organism (GMO) in imported agricultural produce if the GMO in question is not authorised in the EU.

In the last few years, several imports of maize and soya from the USA, Argentina and Brazil have been prevented from entering the EU because traces of genetically modified plants not authorised in the EU were detected in them.

The European Commission therefore relax its zero tolerance policy. The minimal traces of unauthorised GMOs are now tolerated up to 0.1 per cent. The 0.1 per cent tolerance level apply only to animal feed, and not to food. Assumption is, that the GMO in question has been approved for cultivation and classed as safe in the country in which it was grown and that applications for its approval have been filed in the EU. The proposed tolerance level of 0.1 per cent is regarded as the technical detection limit. Today’s detection methods do not provide clear results for GMO levels below 0.1 per cent.