GMO wine in America

FROM Farm on line Breaking Rural News : VITICULTURE
Ready or not, here comes genetically modified wine yeast
By SHAY BAYLY - Australia, Friday, 11 November 2005

A spread in biotechnology use in grape and wine production appears inevitable, following the release of the first genetically modified wine yeast. Before September, the contentious debate about genetically modified wine yeasts had been mostly academic for the Australian industry. But since then influential French yeast company Springer Oenologie has released ML01, the first GM wine yeast, to North America. Australian Wine Research Institute managing director, Sakkie Pretorius, says scientific literature and some recent examples of GM wine yeast prototype theories "show great potential of enhanced cost-effective production of wine with minimised resource inputs, improved quality, and low environmental impact". "But it's hard to predict how long it will take consumers to accept the huge potential benefits offered by grape and wine biotechnology,"

Prof Pretorius said. The Australian wine industry is standing firm on its position "that no GM organisms be used in the production of Australian wine". Denying an anti-GM approach, the industry recognises the potentially significant benefits of gene technology, but also acknowledges the need for safety, openness and quality assurance.

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