-Caveat Lector- MINISTERS DOWN UNDER MANDATE BIOTECH FOOD LABLES, ALLOW LOOPHOLE By Bob Burton CANBERRA, Australia, August 4, 1999 (ENS) - Some genetically modified foods will carry identifying labels but Australian and New Zealand health ministers have created a loophole that has angered consumer and environmental groups. Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 1999 For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/aug99/1999L-08-04-03.html Environment Ministers Down Under Mandate Biotech Food Labels, Allow Loophole By Bob Burton CANBERRA, Australia, August 4, 1999 (ENS) - Some genetically modified foods will carry identifying labels but Australian and New Zealand health ministers have created a loophole that has angered consumer and environmental groups. After a tense seven-hour meeting Wednesday, the ministers reached a compromise agreement that requires only some genetically modified foods to be labelled. The Australian New Zealand Food Standards Council ministers have "agreed to require mandatory labelling of foods produced using gene technology and food in containing genetically modified ingredients." Grant Tambling is Senator for the Northern Territory (Photo courtesy government of Australia) Chair of the Food Standards Council, Australian Senator Grant Tambling, said that under the agreement some foods produced using gene technology would not need to be labelled if they fall below an as yet undetermined "threshold level" of genetically modified material. Australian Consumers Association Policy Officer, Mara Bun, rejects the concept of threshold levels. "The idea of threshold levels for modified ingredients in foods to trigger disclosure is unlikely to be accepted by consumers. Consumers want to know absolutely, whether the foods they eat do or don't contain even small amounts of modified ingredients or ingredients obtained from modified plants," she said. "Threshold levels can be eliminated if food companies are required to audit their supply of ingredients for genetic status. It's planned to apply this method to qualify for a 'NON-GM' label, so it should also be used for disclosing the presence of any GM ingredients" Bun said. Soy foods that are guaranteed to contain no genetically modified soy beans by Australian Natural Foods Holdings Ltd. (Photo courtesy ANF) The Australian Food and Grocery Council argues that it should not be expected to label products "if suppliers don't know, if there is no identifiable difference between GM and non-GM ingredients or if there is no reliable diagnostic test." The health ministers agreed that food manufacturers' labels may state that the foods do or do not contain genetically modified ingredients or that "foods might contain genetically modified ingredients approved by health authorities." Over the next month, Australia New Zealand Food Authority will draft the new food standard on labelling. The ministers are scheduled to ratify it at a meeting in October. The ministers also supported voluntary measures proposed by the food industry including 1-800 phone information services as well as posters and leaflets in stores. Bob Phelps convenor of the Australian Gene Ethics Network, a pure foods group, said, "Posters, leaflets and 1-800 numbers supplied by companies are not an alternative to comprehensive labelling and are a recipe for disinformation and propaganda." Logo of the Australian Gene Ethics Network (Image courtesy AGEN) "By deliberately withholding key information on controversial new food, industry wants to cram their untested, unassessed products down our throat whether we like it or not," Phelps fumed. With opinion polls in the Australia revealing over 90 percent support for mandatory labelling of all genetically modified products and mounting public concern, the ministers were under strong pressure to agree to mandatory labelling of all foods. In December 1998, the health ministers voted six to four in favour of labelling of genetically modified foods. They directed the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA), which regulates food standards in both countries, to prepare options on how the decision could be implemented. However, the ANZFA options paper presented to the health ministers did not include the option of mandatory labelling for all genetically modified foods. One health minister told ENS "ANZFA presented every option other than one requiring strict labelling." ANZFA has come under sustained attack from environment and consumer groups for its unwillingness to present options favoured overwhelmingly by the public. Draft standards submitted by ANZFA for public comment in May drew 6,400 responses with 93 percent supported labelling. Wednesday's meeting, initially expected to take only two hours to reach agreement on the issue, dragged on for seven hours. During the long wait for the decision tension between ANZFA public relations staff and Phelps spilled over. ANZFA Public Affairs Manager, Lydia Buchtmann, requested that police arrest Phelps for trespass as he mingled with journalists and other lobbyists outside the meeting venue. Buchtmann defended the arrest claiming that Phelps was a security risk because he had attended a peaceful demonstration when the ministers arrived and did not have a journalists pass. Bucthman conceded that other lobbyists from consumer groups, organic producers and the Australian Greens did not have journalists passes but would not be arrested. Some had also attended the demonstration outside. "They're stakeholders," she said. � Environment News Service (ENS) 1999. 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