Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Please Pass the Franken-Spuds - BASF Growing Illegal Potatoes in Sweden

The European Commission has issued a summons to German chemical giant BASF for growing unapproved, genetically modified potatoes in the open field in Sweden.

According to an article in The Local, an English language Swedish news site, the flowers of the illegal variety, "Amadea" were found and have now been removed.

"The wrong potato was sent to Sweden," the spokesperson said, triggering the summons to "explain" why "flowers" of Amadea, a GM crop currently being prepared by BASF, but which is not yet authorised, were found in the field.

Official are also gathering information about the variety "Amflora", which is approved, but only for uses such as glue or paper making, not human consumption.

This case echoes the similar situations in which illegal, unauthorized GM corn from Monsanto has been reported growing in Ireland, Germany, Italy and elsewhere.

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