-Caveat Lector- JAPAN TO LABEL 28 BIOTECH FOODS TOKYO, Japan, August 5, 1999 (ENS) - Twenty-eight genetically modified foods would have to carry identifying labels if a draft plan introduced Wednesday by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries becomes law. The draft was submitted to the Minstry's advisory panel for consideration at a meeting August 10. Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 1999 For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/aug99/1999L-08-05-05.html Environment Japan to Label 28 Biotech Foods TOKYO, Japan, August 5, 1999 (ENS) - Twenty-eight genetically modified foods would have to carry identifying labels if a draft plan introduced Wednesday by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries becomes law. The draft was submitted to the Minstry's advisory panel for consideration at a meeting August 10. The advisory panel's approval of the draft, would open the way for the Ministry to put the labelling requirement into practice in April 2001. The foods to be labelled include items made from soybeans such as tofu, miso and soy milk, and snack foods containing corn such as popcorn. The plan is expected to be criticized by consumers because it does not go far enough. Some syrups and oils, said by some authorities to contain the highest amount of biotech food ingredients, are not covered by the draft plan. Only genetically altered agricultural produce and processed foods that are sold in retail markets are included in the labelling plan. Ingredients that are marketed to the food industry would not be labelled. Food manufacturers would be responsible for labelling the foods. The list of foods to be labelled is divided into three categories. The first section is for foods of enhanced nutritional value due to genetic engineering. Soybean oils, for instance, can be modified to increase the oleic acid content. Oleic acid is highly nutritious. This oil would be labeled "high oleic acid soybean oil (genetically modified)." Fairview Farms in Iowa provides soybeans to tofu makers in Japan. (Photo courtesy Fairview Farms) If the foods are genetically altered, but their nutrients remain unchanged, they will be listed in the second category. Unprocessed soybeans, which may be in this group, would be labeled, "soybeans (genetically modified)." Most of the 28 foods belong to this second category of labeling. Foods with an unknown mix of natural and genetically modified ingredients would have to carry a label saying that the modified ingredients are present but not specified. Japanese sources say that soy and corn exporting countries, such as the United States and Canada do not want Japan to require the labelling of genetically modified foods, as they are worried about a possible decline in their food exports to Japan. However, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman told reporters July 13 that some type of labelling will happen in the United States eventually. "At the end of the day many observers, including me, believe some type of informational labeling is likely to happen. But, I do believe that it is imperative that such labeling does not undermine trade and this promising new technology," Glickman said. Right now, there are about 50 genetically altered plant varieties approved by U.S. Department of Agriculture. Beans are being genetically engineered to alleviate shortages of trace elements and vitamins such as zinc and iodine at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. (Photo courtesy USDA) The upcoming round of World Trade Organization talks set for November in Seattle, Washington will focus on agricultural products, including those modified by biotechnology. On June 18, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries released a proposal for the upcoming WTO negotiations. "WTO Members should actively address such new issues as the treatment of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)," the ministry said. "An appropriate forum should be established to address new issues, including GMOs, from a broad perspective. Work in such a forum should include an analysis of the current situation, identification of the questions to be dealt with, as well as the relationship between such questions and the existing WTO rules an disciplines," the ministry proposed. The need to detect the presence of genetically modified DNA in crops and foods has given rise to a new industry - laboratories that specialize in scans of DNA structure to precisely identify modified gene sequences in samples. � Environment News Service (ENS) 1999. 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