GENETIC MODIFICATION - FOOD

Reference:

50011

Version

07

Author:

R.Dhalla

Approved by:

S. Moore

Owner:

J. Clague

Date Issued:

May 2015

Last Revision:

May 2014

Review Date:

May 2016

1.

POLICY

It is Waitrose policy not to sell under its own brand any food or drink which is
genetically modified or contains genetically modified (GM) ingredients or
additives.

The maximum adventitious limit for EU authorised GM presence is 0.9% for

each individual component consistent with GM Regulations EC 1829/2003 and
EC 1830/2003.

Any instance of GM material above this limit must be immediately

communicated to Waitrose Quality and Technical Department for review.

There is zero tolerance for non- EU authorised GM material.

Suppliers must only source risk ingredients, derivatives and additives listed on
Valid-IT or iSYS platforms.
[ Note : From May 2016 suppliers using all such risk material must ensure their
suppliers have transitioned to iSYS (www.isys.org.uk) operated by Food Chain ID ].

2.

An up to date list of GM risk ingredients, derivative and additives are provided on

Valid-IT and iSYS platforms and are amended as necessary from time to time.

Sources not listed on Valid-IT or iSYS shall not be used.

The Valid-IT and iSYS approved lists are not closed lists. New sources should
apply for registration, review and approval by contacting Food Chain-ID for
registration bearing in mind the transition to iSYS by may 2016.

SCOPE

The scope of the policy is foods, ingredients, derivatives and additives where the
potential exists they might have come from a GM crop.

Excluded are fermentation products ,enzymes, or processing aids and eggs, meat
& milk from poultry, fish and livestock fed with GM feed.

The following are specifically controlled via Valid IT:

Maize and maize derivatives
Soya and soya derivatives
Non-EU rapeseed and derivatives

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 iSYS has a more comprehensive coverage and includes all commercially available
GMOs
3. REFERENCES
Valid IT Contact details : email valid-it@exova.com
Exova
London Road
Bassetts Pole ,Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands ,B75 5SA
Telephone:- 0121 206 4195 ( for username and password access )
iSYS contact details

www.isys.org.uk
FoodChain ID Europe Ltd, Four Oaks House, Lichfield Road,
Sutton Coldfield, B74 2TZ, United Kingdom

4.

Email: help@isys.org.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 121 308 9140

IMPLEMENTATION

This policy only sets out overarching requirements. Detailed information regarding
the operation of Valid-IT and iSYS platforms can be found by contacting the service
providers listed above.

Valid-IT and iSYS platforms are risk reduction tools. Approval is achieved through
either the provision of current certification to a recognised Non-GM IP certification
scheme or via a document based review carried out by EXOVA and FoodChain ID
Europe Ltd for their respective platforms.

In any event, suppliers are expected to have in place appropriate verification of nonGM raw material status which includes traceability back to a conventional
source,sampling and DNA testing (PCR), where appropriate. This includes but is not
limited to:

-Annual review of materials that may then fall into the scope of GM risk materials;
-Regular audit of materials to verify non-GM supply chain integrity;
-Where practical and appropriate, PCR testing by an ISO17025 accredited laboratory with
current, appropriate and relevant scopes for PCR testing of risk materials using
appropriate sampling and analytical methods;
-Any proposed changes in the supply of risk materials must be fully investigated and
appear on Valid -IT or iSYS approved lists prior to that change occurring.
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