FOOD that has been genetically modified could be on sale in as many as one-in-four pubs, restaurants and takeaways in our region.

An operation by trading standards officers revealed that around a quarter of caterers are using cooking oils sourced from a genetically modified (GM) food without telling their customers.

Andrew Waller, Liberal Democrat executive member for neighbourhood services, said: "York residents should have confidence in the food that they are buying, and like many consumers, I am unhappy about GM food."

Officers visited cafés, takeaways, pubs, restaurants and hotels across Yorkshire to establish the extent to which GM-sourced oils for cooking were used, and whether it was labelled on the menu.

Sean Suckling, food and safety unit manager at City of York Council, said: "The law requires that consumers should be made aware - before purchasing - that the food they are eating is either sourced from genetically modified food or contains genetically modified food.

"In other words, to allow the consumers to make their own choice on what they eat by providing accurate information to inform that choice."

But trading standards investigators found a quarter of caterers were using oils sourced from GM crops, and of those 94 per cent were not passing the information on to their customers.

Owners were found to be either ignorant of the law, or had not carried out proper checks of the raw materials they were using.

When informed of the error, most traders chose to change to a non-GM source of oil.

Graham Venn, head of North Yorkshire Trading Standards and chairman of the Yorkshire And Humberside Food Safety Group, urged all caterers to check the ingredients lists of all their food.

He said: "Any consumers who are at all concerned regarding the inclusion of GM food should specifically ask the caterers when ordering their food whether it is GM, or sourced from a GM origin. The law requires the owner to provide an honest answer."

Coun Waller said: "These tests across the York and North Yorkshire area have highlighted the responsibility of food retailers to either source GM-free ingredients or put up labels to say their meals contain GM food.

"To help customers to choose, many retailers already highlight that they sell GM-free produce in the city."

Consumers wanting any information on GM food should visit the Food Standards Agency website, www.foodstandards.gov.uk