In 1996 Genetically Modified food went on sale in the United Kingdom for the first time on this day in 1996. Sainsbury’s and Safeway’s both began to sell tomato puree which was made from GM tomatoes. The tomatoes from California had the gene which causes them to rot, removed. This means that the tomatoes inevitably last longer, reducing the price of the puree.
In 1994 a mortar hits Sarajevo, the Capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, killing 68 and injuring some 200 people. This coincided with peace talks in the capital between Bosnia's Serbs, Muslims and Croats. No side ever admitted the attacks and investigations by the United Nations revealed no leads.
In 1953 sweet rationing finally ended in Britain after 11 years. The rationing started due to supply lines and production of foods being hampered by the Germans in World War II and came into effect on the 8th of January 1940 (with sweets and chocolate being rationed from the 26th of July 1942). Many English shops and companies gave away free sweets in celebration.
In 1783 a magnitude 8 earthquake hits southern Italy killed thousands. The quake was so large it opened up crevasses in the region, one of which was 100ft wide, and created new lakes. It was claimed by a witness that two mountains, originally on either side of a valley, moved towards each other and met in the middle. A second quake caused a tsunami which killed thousands more.
