All food sold in the European Union with genetically modified ingredients must now say so on the label, under rules that went into effect on Sunday (April 17) and restaurants serving genetically engineered food must identify it on the menu. France, Italy and five other countries unofficially banned the sale of any new genetically altered crops five years ago.

Products with modified ingredients have been sold before in the Union, which will expand from 15 to 25 members on May 1. However, the new rules apply to items like cereal, frozen pizza, baby formula, etc. in which more than 0.9 percent of the ingredients have been genetically engineered but meat, eggs and milk are not subject to labeling, even from animals raised on genetically modified feed.  (New York Times - April 21, 2004)