The time has finally come, the EU Parliament has passed stricter regulations on genetically modified food and feed. Thanks to the EU regulation, in the future these must be clearly labeled for consumers, with indications such as “genetically modified” or “genetically modified.” The new, stricter regulations will probably come into force in late fall 2003. Industry has still been granted a transition period of six months, after which violations will be penalized.
What does the regulation provide?
Under the new regulation, all genetically engineered and modified products containing more than 0.9 percent genetically modified organisms (GMOs) must be labeled. This also includes foods in which only parts of the initial product have been genetically modified. And it applies even if the manipulation is no longer detectable, as in the case of oil from genetically modified soybeans
. Overall, the majority of genetically modified plants in the EU end up in animal feed. This, too, is to be labeled. In the future, farmers will then be able to choose whether or not to feed their animals with genetically modified food. However, the meat, milk or eggs from animals that have received genetically engineered feed will continue to be exempt.
However, farmers have the option of informing consumers that their animals are being fed GMO-free feed. Parliament also passed a second directive to ensure full traceability of GMOs in food and feed. This means that in the future, manufacturers will have to provide complete documentation of the entire production process.
No human harm known yet
Currently, there is no known case of a human being being harmed by a new gene in an approved food. This is despite the fact that the cultivation of genetically modified plants worldwide reached 58.7 million hectares in 2002, more than one and a half times the area of Germany. The leading countries by far are the USA (39 million hectares). It is followed by Argentina (13.5), Canada (3.5) and China (2.1). The main crops grown are soybeans, corn, canola and cotton. The GE crops are mostly resistant to key pests or have a gene that protects them from a spray.
Plants can get outside the cultivation area
It is undisputed, however, that the new genes can also get into other plants outside the cultivated area – with consequences that cannot be foreseen at present. Agricultural companies point out that so far no damage has occurred. The cultivation of many genetically modified plants is even good for the environment because it requires fewer sprays. On the other hand, the fact that genes from modified organisms have found their way into Mexico’s traditional corn cultivation, for example, shows that a certain degree of uncontrollability must be assumed.
All power to the consumer?
Now the power lies with the consumer when shopping at the supermarket. According to a Greenpeace survey on genetically modified ingredients, only 18 of 216 companies surveyed do not want to exclude such admixtures in their products. And the vast majority of food companies in Germany also want to do without them.
