GM survey finds misleading labels
legislation on genetically modified foods enters into law, arrived
with the findings of a recent survey on GM foods that highlighted
the fact that a small section of the food industry are totally
mislabelling their products.
A harbinger of problems likely to arrive when new tougher European legislation on genetically modified foods enters into law, arrived with the findings of a recent survey on GM foods that highlighted the fact that a small section of the food industry are totally mislabelling their products.
Commissioned by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) the study found that out of a range of 75 foods, including breakfast cereals, baby foods, dried soya products, twelve were found to contain low levels of GM ingredients. Although the GM ingredients identified were authorised for food use within the EU, 7 of the 12 products (58 per cent) that contained GM ingredients were inaccurately labelled to indicate that they had no GM ingredients.
Heavily critical of those food manufacturers guilty of inaccurate GM labelling, Alan Reilly, Deputy Chief Executive, FSAI said: "Unfortunately a small minority of food manufacturers continue to mislead consumers by using labels that indicate or suggest that the food contains no GM ingredients, when in fact they do.
Some of these labels were placed on foods even though the manufacturers were aware that small amounts of GM ingredients were present. It is unacceptable trade practice and we have made our views known to the relevant parties," he continued.
The FSAI stressed that although the 12 samples found to contain GM ingredients had less than the threshold of 1 per cent which triggers mandatory GM labelling, labels on 5 of those GM positive products indicated they contained no GM ingredients. Furthermore, one product had an organic label while another carried both organic and GM-free labels.
EU legislation governing the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs is clear in its stipulation that food labels must not mislead the public on the composition or production methods of a food, or make false claims as to the properties of a food.
For Dr Pat O'Mahony, chief specialist in biotechnology, FSAI, there is no justification for the inaccurate labelling of a food as GM-free. "Industry is entitled to use legitimate strategies, such as labelling, to gain a market advantage, but responsibility for the accuracy of these labels rests solely with them."
"The persistence of misleading labelling, some on brands that were highlighted by previous FSAI surveys, is a cause for concern."
In light of much tighter GM regulations currently being developed by the European Commission, the FSAI voiced its concerns saying "this new legislation may lead to the authorisation of more GM foods for the EU market place in the near future and we need to be confident that consumer choice will not be jeopardised by small sections of the industry".
Keeping the industry on its toes, the FSAI also announced that it plans to carry out a more focused survey later this year with a strong emphasis on the mislabelling problems identified. Action may be taken against offenders, the safety body warned.
