New EU Labelling Regulations1 September 1998
On 1 September a new European Directive came into force requiring the labelling of GE foods. The regulations have been so narrowly defined that only products where protein or DNA is detectable in the final product are to be labelled. It is estimated that this will mean about 90% of foods containing GE ingredients will remain un-labelled. Most foods contain derivative ingredients such as soya oil or lecithin which have been processed and no longer contain protein or DNA. This loophole effectively short circuits consumer concern about a variety of issues such as: environmental impacts of GE crops, consumer choice, health effects through introducing new allergens into the food chain and the ethical implications of tampering with organisms in this way.
New FOE Briefing: Genetically Modified Food
This briefing is excellent background reading. It is produced to give you an overview of genetic modification, explaining what it is and why FOE is concerned about the issues it raises.
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