Quebec, October 30, 2013. The Quebec group Vigilance OGM expressed its serious concerns over the introduction of a whole GM food after last night’s revelation, from a show broadcast on Télé-Québec, that genetically modified (GM) sweet corn was on grocery store shelves in Quebec this summer.

Until recently, most GM foods in North America were processed into ingredients for packaged food or used for animal feed, to produce milk, eggs and meat.

“Without mandatory food labeling in Quebec, it’s difficult to know if the sweet corn we eat is genetically modified or not,” said André Nault of Vigilance OGM.

The report on the TV show “Verts contre-attaquent” echoes the results of tests conducted just last week by the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) which found GM sweet corn in grocery stores, farmers markets and roadside stands across Canada. Though the sample size in both cases was small, the two tests show that GM sweet corn is present in most provinces of Canada, and is hidden from consumers.

Vigilance OGM, in coordination with CBAN, is demanding that grocery stores remove GM sweet corn.

“Our strong hope is that grocery stores will take GM sweet corn off their shelves. We know they can do it because last year we conducted tests on sweet corn in Quebec and it spurred panic among grocery chains who asked many suppliers not to source GM sweet corn”, added Nault.

The two organizations are now asking consumers to sign a petition and write letters addressed to the 5 big grocery chains in Canada: Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart and the Jim Pattison Group.

“It’s high time that the big grocery chains take up their responsibilities,” concluded Nault.

According to consumer polls in Canada and Quebec, consumers are concerned about GM technology and particularly want to know where GM food is on the shelves.

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For more information:
Thibault Rehn, secrétaire Vigilance OGM, 514-582-1674
André Nault, Vigilance OGM, (819) 562-4413
Lucy Sharratt, CBAN, 613 241 2267 ext 25