[Nestle can be contacted at the website below. Their only email contact address is in SA at this site. - Trudy] http://www.nestle.com/html/q.html The Australian http://www.news.com.au/national/ Nestle sour on banning mutant food By SID MARRIS 30apr99 FOOD giant Nestle's British division has joined the rush to ban genetically modified ingredients but its Australian arm is reluctant to follow what it calls a reaction to "consumer perception rather than food safety". The decision came as the Australian New Zealand Food Authority began receiving last-minute applications for approval of modified ingredients already on sale, before a deadline today. An estimated 500 foods are believed to contain any of the 50 known genetically modified ingredients registered around the world, but ANZFA so far has received only 15 applications. It is unknown how many of those 50 ingredients are commercially used in Australia but industry sources believe ANZFA, in conjunction with the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, has contacted all the relevant producers importing material. Nestle UK said overnight it recognised specific concerns in Britain about the application of gene technology in food. A spokesman said Nestle still believed the responsible use of biotechnology would ultimately bring significant benefits to farmers, the industry and consumers. "However, at this point in time, without the trust and confidence of all parties, this cannot be achieved," he told AFP. "Consumer confidence in the technology appears to be low and some wish to avoid food containing ingredients derived from (genetically modified) crops altogether." Nestle Australia indicated yesterday it supported the approach of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, which believes consumer and environmental groups have manipulated the public's reactions to the use of the technology. AFGC executive director Mitch Hooke said he believed laws against selling unsafe food would ensure proper standards. Mr Hooke said AFGC supported consumers being able to make informed decisions. A Nestle Australia spokesman said the company was aware the UK decision was "based on consumer perceptions rather than food safety issues". "In Australia, the Government is working to develop a system of regulation which will address the needs of Australian consumers." Australian Consumer Association spokesman Matt O'Neill said the ANZFA process was unsatisfactory because it relied on companies providing their own tests for assessment rather than a more rigorous examination of the products. He said it could be up to a year before some of the materials were assessed. British supermarket chains Tesco Sainsbury and Safeways already have removed products containing genetically modified substances, while the British arm of the Anglo-Dutch firm Unilever also is removing ingredients. In Australia, Coles has called on the Government to take notice of the consumer concerns about labelling, while Australian Natural Foods and Sanitarium are using non-modified soybeans. ************************************************************************* This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
