Posted on 7-12-2002

Doctors' Warning About GM Food Labelling

The Australian / New Zealand labelling regime for genetically engineered
food coming into force at the end of this week is fatally flawed and
exposes the public to unacceptable health risks. GE-Free New Zealand in
food and environment are demanding the government address these failings by
extending the labelling regime and implementing "an open-ended moratorium
on transgenic food products." as called for by the British Medical
Association last week.

The regime regulating GE foods is touted by governments in both countries
as 'world-class' but involves no testing by the food authorities and
contains a gaping hole because it does not require the labelling of GE
products sold from cafes, restaurants and bakeries.The regime also exempts
additives, and ingredients such as refined oils that can remain hidden in
products despite having been produced through genetic engineering.

These failings leave the public at risk from untested and unexpected
side-effects from GE foods about which the British Medical
Association-representing more than 120, 000 medical professionals in the
UK- has again warned in its submission to the Scottish Parliament. The BMA
says the use of antibiotic resistant markers in GMO's is unacceptable and
must be prohibited immediately. "There is a significant risk that
antibiotic resistance markers may progress through the food chain, possibly
into pathogenic organisms causing human disease," says the BMA. "The
government has let the greed of the biotech industry lobbyists win out over
good science, the precautionary approach to public health, and people's
basic right to know that they are consuming what is best described as
experimental food," says Jon Carapiet from GE-free NZ in food and environment.

There is also concern that the collapse of the global market for GE foods
may lead to exploitation of lower income families as an easy dumping ground
for unwanted GE products that even developing countries have rejected as
food aid. "Visit a typical high-street bakery, takeaway or chip-shop and
ask about the GE ingredients they use and few of them are likely to have a
clue about GE in their products," says Mr Carapiet. "Supposedly the new
regime requires retailers to know, but I suspect few people in poorer parts
of our country even know they need to ask. It is quite possible that GE
foods are being dumped into low-cost takeaway outlets so exposing the most
vulnerable people to the risks being warned about by the BMA," he says.

According to issues raised by the British Medical Association, other
medical professionals and many independent scientists our new labelling
regime is based on a flawed system that has the potential to seriously
undermine public health. "I fear that one day we may look back on this time
with astonishment at the negligent arrogance of the authorities and their
willingness to compromise our health in the pursuit of trade and the
convenience of the multinational food companies," Mr Carapiet says.

The following points summarise some of the serious flaws in the regulatory
regime.

The biotechnology industry continues to insert antibiotic marker genes into
everyday foodstuffs as part of the genetic engineering process despite
growing problems of antibiotic resistance, repeated warnings from doctors,
and industry promises to stop.

The Food Safety Australia New Zealand (formerly ANZFA) have continued to
approve novel GE foods into the food chain without conducting any tests.
Authorities rely on an 'assessment' of the biotech companies' own very
limited data.

Though the Royal Commission was persuaded that the former ANZFA was one of
the better regulatory systems in place around the world there is still no
long-term testing of GE foods or human trials which even the UK Royal
Society says are needed.

There is no public health monitoring of effects as called for by
organisations such as the Public Health Association in Australia, and the
British Medical Association.

There are no warnings to pregnant mothers and parents of young children
about the risks identified by the Royal Society from GE products like Soy.
There is ongoing contamination of conventional food supplies. Recent
instances in the US of food crops becoming contaminated by
pharmaceutical-producing plants has alarmed even the grocery industry who
have previously promoted GE food.

Industry pressure to introduce nutriceuticals and " functional foods" as
new profit-streams has prompted officials to resign from food regulatory
authorities in protest at the threat to balanced eating recommended by
nutritionists as the basis of health.