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GMO LABELLING LEAVES CONSUMERS IN THE DARK2 April 1997
Labelling regulations announced by the European Commission today will continue to leave consumers in the dark about whether food products contain genetically altered organisms by not requiring segregation from natural grains.
Greenpeace spokesperson Isabelle Mister said the Commission had failed to require any labelling at all for the controversial genetically modified soya bean and maize. Soya beans are used in 60 per cent of processed food products in supermarkets including pasta, chocolate and ice-cream.
The commission also failed to require the segregation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) such as soya beans and corn from natural grains. "Therefore these labelling regulations will only tell consumers a product may contain genetically altered organisms," she said.
"The Commission through these regulations is effectively denying consumers the choice they are demanding : to avoid genetically altered food products," Meister said.
The European Commission announced the adoption of a proposal for labelling of food products which "may contain or may consist of genetically modified organisms" (GMO's).
Genetically altered soya beans formed less than two per cent of the 1996 soya bean harvest in the United States, which is the largest exporter into Europe, but are not segregated from the natural soya beans. The Commission proposal does not requrie segegration of US imports of soya beans nor does it require labelling of food products made from GMO soya beans.
"Until the Commission requires the segregation of natural grains and organic material from the genetically altered material consumers will not have choice about what they eat," Meister said.
The Commission in its announcement acknowledged that the public demand the full application of the precautionary principle to genetically modified products yet the commission has failed to implement this approach by approving GMO soya beans and maize and oil seed rape.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
ISABELLE MEISTER mobile +31-6534 17947 or +32-2-2801400