Activists demand Russia ban GM foods

The growth in genetically modified foods has not yet seen large-scale public debate in Russia but a number of people do feel strongly about the issue. Thus, a group of youth activists in the northern city of Murmansk is demanding a ban on GM products.

“The problem lies with the scientists who refuse to recognise these facts. But just because there's no consensus on whether those products are fully safe shows that we shouldn't be consuming them,” believes Vitaly Servetnik, a member of the Nature and Youth campaign group.

They claim GM foods can cause allergies and even cancer.

The local government in Murmansk is toying with the idea of making the city a GM-free zone. However, nutritionists are worried.

“I'd like to see how exactly they're going to manage this. How exactly will they ban all GM products from their region? And there's no evidence of health risks. I think it's just a fashion trend,” says Minkail Magomed Gapparov from Moscow Institute of Nutrition.

This month, the Russian government has stated all imported foods must contain information about their GM ingredients.

GM foods contain organisms that have had their DNA altered through genetic engineering. The most common modified foods – soy-bean, corn and rapeseed oil but traces of GM organisms are also found in meat and dairy products.