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.
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