2013-02-18 | permalink

GM coton oil on the milkbar menu in Australia

The next time you head into town for the family treat of fish and chips, ask your fryer what oil they’re using. Chances are it’s cottonseed oil. My local milkbar has just switched to it. It’s cheaper than what they were using and has a higher burning point which means less smell. If it’s cottonseed oil produced in Australia, it’s more than likely to be genetically modified because most cotton seed produced in Australia is genetically modified. Genetically modified cotton has been a boon for farmers: it contains genes from a bacteria that produces a protein that kills caterpillars when they eat it. Some cotton varieties now also contain genes that make the cotton tolerant to herbicides such as glyphosate.

• Weekly Times, Australia: GM oil on the milkbar menu