AFGC angry over GM “scare campaign”
Claims by Choice that Australian foods containing Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients do not have to be labelled as GM are false and misleading, according to the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC).
Choice claimed today that Australian supermarket shelves were “full” of foods with ingredients from GM crops, such as soy, corn, canola and cotton that were not labelled “genetically modified”. Choice says that lax food labelling laws make it almost impossible for those who want to avoid genetically modified food.
However AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said Choice’s statements were incorrect.
“Choice has conveniently failed to recognise that for almost 10 years, strict labelling regulations have governed all GM foods and ingredients in Australia,” Ms Carnell said.
“All GM foods must be labelled under Food Standard 1.5.2 introduced in 2001.
“Therefore, instead of unnecessarily scaring Australian consumers, Choice should be sticking to the facts about GM food labels and regulations.”
The regulation requires that food, including ingredients, additives and processing aids, must be labelled genetically modified if DNA or protein from a GM variety is present in the final product. These labelling requirements are overseen by independent food regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
According to the Victorian Government’s Better Health Channel, special labels are not required for:
* ‘Highly refined’ foods where the altered DNA or protein is no longer in the food (for example, oil from modified corn).
* GM food additives or processing aids – unless the new DNA remains in the food to which it is added.
* GM flavours where less than 0.1 per cent is present in the food.
* Food, food ingredients or processing aids where GM ingredients are ‘unintentionally’ present in less than 1.0 per cent.
* Food that is prepared at the point of sale (takeaway and restaurant food does not have to be labelled).
Ms Carnell said “In Australia, there’s no doubt that if there’s GM protein or DNA in the final food product, it has to be clearly labelled under law.” This statement, while true, highlights the complexity of the debate. Consumers may be excused for being confused about the GM labelling laws, as science cannot yet tell whether consumption of GM ingredients that fall outside the definition of ‘GM protein or DNA’ and therefore do not have to be mentioned on food labels, will produce any negative consequences in the future.
“You have a right to know if your food comes from GM crops or GM fed animals, directly or indirectly. The law should require full disclosure of any GM ingredients so that consumers have all the information they need to make a truly informed choice,” says Choice senior campaigner Clare Hughes.
FSANZ has decided that GM ingredients only need to be labelled as such if GM protein or DNA exist in the final food product, however many people feel that this is not strict enough.
According to industry guidelines, foods certified as organic or biodynamic should not contain any GM ingredients, and many consumers choose to buy organic for this reason.
Due to consumer demand, some food manufacturers in Australia have taken steps to provide GM-free food. These products may be labelled accordingly; for example, ‘contains no genetically modified ingredients’.
Meanwhile, the food labelling debate continues, and confusion among consumers abounds, about what is healthy, what is safe, and what they are really eating. With a government review of food labelling underway in Australia, Choice is encouraging consumers to take action by sending a message to the Food Labelling Review Panel asking for better GM labelling on all foods.
Choice’s claims that the majority of GM foods in Australia don’t have to be labelled are completely true. These include products like canola and cottonseed oil, corn syrup and products derived from animals fed GM feed. AFGC’s claims to the contrary are deliberately designed to confuse consumers, and are likely to be driven by Monsanto which is a member of the council. GM companies don’t want GM products labelled because they know that, given the choice, consumers won’t buy them.
Polls show that 90 per cent of Australians want all GM food labelled as such. Australians want GM food labelled for health, environmental and ethical reasons. We have the right to know what is in our food.
In Europe highly processed GM ingredients have to be labelled – as does animal feed containing GM ingredients. This system has proven cost effective and enables consumers to make informed choices about the foods that they eat.
The Federal Government has so far failed to deliver on its policy commitments. It was an election promise not to approve the release of GM crops unless they could be proven safe “beyond reasonable doubt”. ALP policy also supported the “comprehensive labelling of genetically modified food”.
Canola is used in many foods and in animal feed. With several states now allowing GM canola to be commercially grown for the first time, the Federal Government needs to deliver on these promises urgently.
You can sign a petition calling for the proper labelling and safety testing of GM crops here: http://www.truefood.org.au/OurRightToKnow/
AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell has no idea what she is talking about. Everybody knows the Australian labelling laws are a joke and that grocery items in Australia contain a wide range of ingredients derived from genetic engineering. For over a decade oils have also been shown to retain proteins so obviously if the oil is from a GM crop that protein would most likely be GM DNA. Australians are living in the dark ages with a dodgey technology invading our food supply. The EU does not see fit to feed GM to it’s animals, why are we being force fed it?
I think the Australian Food labelling is a joke!!!
Why not let the Consumer make an informed decision on the products they pay top dollars for? You can buy “freshly pressed” orange juice,or so they make us believe, which is up to 5 years old and doesn’t display all the chemicals which have been added ………..but you can not buy any RAW Milk………If people want to buy Raw Milk, why not let them?? Many people these days like to make there own cheese,yoghurt etc…….but you need Raw Milk to do so.
Now the Government also adds Fluoride into drinking water, which I think is criminal !!! Where will we be in years to come if we can not even have a glass of fresh, pure water from the tap any more??? And the argument that fluoride is good for our Kids teeth just doesn’t explain why
1) Parents don’t take responsibility to give their kids fluoride tablets
2) Each and every one of us adults has now also to drink water with fluoride added, even we don’t need it any more.
There is so much crap added into today’s food and it is nearly impossible to buy any non GM food or food in its purest form, without additives and chemicals added.
And no wonder so many people develop intolerances to so many foods and allergies.
The labelling is not good enough for me! If it has genetically modified canola, or other in it, then I want it to clearly state on the label in the ingredients list “genetically modified canola” NO LABEL DOES THAT!!
If they bring in GM wheat, its a total boycott on wheat from me!! and probably a total boycott of supermarkets, why buy from the people who don’t care about us!
Monsanto, Dupont and the likes have just been found guilty by the permanent peoples tribunal of violating human rights, so why is our Australian government allowing them to violate our rights?? by allowing trials of GM wheat, our most valuable export and our staple food?? Its warfare if you ask me – those countries promoting this technology probably have the foresight to see that destruction of our exports will open up new opportunities for them… why are the Australian government all currently wearing blindfolds??