Fruits and Vegetables.
At present, there are no genetically modified fruit or vegetables on the consumer market in the EU. The GM plants authorized in the EU are not intended for direct consumption. Nevertheless, genetic engineering has unfortunately become standard practice when it comes to research and crop improvement.

Resistance to pests and diseases.
Researchers are trying to understand the complexities of gene function, which could allow them to give plants new traits. Ongoing projects are working on giving plants resistance to pests and diseases, but it seems that genetically modified fruits and vegetables are still quite a long way from commercial use in the EU.

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Chicory.
A few years ago, an application was submitted to the EU for the approval of a GM chicory cultivar. Since then, marketing plans for GM chicory have been abandoned. Now, interest in chicory has been growing for a new research goal. Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) is popular in some regions as a salad green, especially in France and Belgium. It is closely related to red hearted chicory (radicchio). Chicory seeds are sown in spring. During autumn, the roots are harvested and stored in complete darkness. After a period of time, the roots produce shoots. Leaves that grow in darkness do not produce chlorophyl, remaining mostly white with yellow at the tips. Leaves lacking chlorophyll are much less bitter than green leaves.

Approval of GM chicory, but just for seeds.
The Netherlands is the most important exporter of chicory. There, scientists developed a genetically modified line of chicory containing a gene that makes it male sterile, simply facilitating the production of hybrid cultivars. Hybrids are generally larger and more vigorous than other varieties. The GM cultivar also contained an herbicide resistance marker gene that would get passed on to half of the resulting hybrid offspring. In 1996, an approval application from the Dutch breeding company was accepted. The approval, however, only covered seed production, not the use of the chicory in food. Although an application for the approval of the GM chicory as food had been submitted, it was later withdrawn. Efforts to introduce this GM chicory to the market have been discontinued.

No GM chicory on the market.
However, plant breeders and researchers haven't stopped working with chicory. A unique fiber called inulin is synthesized in its shoots. This compound has recently been gaining attention as a source of fiber for health foods and functional foods. Inulin and its metabolic products improve intestinal flora and strengthen the immune system. Chicory is currently the primary source for inulin, but when temperatures are cool, the inulin found in chicory shoots starts breaking down. A gene derived from the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is expected to stabilize inulin content in chicory shoots. The first field tests of genetically modified inulin chicory were conducted in the Netherlands in 2004. Today, as far as we have been able to find out, there is no genetically modified chicory on the market.

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