Domino's pays to test ingredients for GMOs

DOMINO'S Pizza is spending tens of thousands of pounds on independent ingredient tests to satisfy growing demand from UK customers for food purged of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

And marketing director Chris Moore expressed astonishment that more major chains were not taking a firmer stance on an issue of such overwhelming public concern.

Moore said it was "immoral to whack them surreptitiously into the food chain until we know more about the short and mid-term effects". Domino's - whose sales soared by 25% week-on-week at the height of the BSE scare - "was not prepared to wait for the GMO issue to become another food scare", said Moore.

With US distributors refusing to segregate GM soya and maize derivatives, Domino's felt it could not rely on suppliers' assurances that their products were free from GMOs "to the best of their knowledge". The tests on 33 ingredients - which should be concluded by the end of the month - have already led to the replacement of Domino's tuna and anchovy topping supplier.

Now the company will run random spot-checks to ensure nothing creeps into the supply chain.

Meanwhile, Burger King has taken the "pragmatic" decision to phase out GM products in its 527 UK outlets. A spokesman said this could be easily achieved as none of the affected lines - onion rings, apple pie, doughnuts and chicken-burger glaze - were core products.

by Angela Frewin