Some transnational companies are applying double standards to
produce genetically engineered (GE) food in China, a Greenpeace
campaigner said.
"Over the years, we have come to realize the sad fact that many
transnational firms are applying double standards in China," said
Lorena Luo, a Greenpeace campaigner for food and agriculture.
She said Unilever and Nestle, two global conglomerates, have
been producing GE food in the Chinese market since the 1990s.
Greenpeace claimed the two companies, well as others, adopt
different policies in their own countries.
Latest tests by Greenpeace's "independent laboratory" on the
products of Japanese firm, Glico, revealed the presence of GE
ingredients in four of its snack foods.
GE ingredients were also found in a German company's brand of
biscuits.
The products did not carry labels saying they contained GE
ingredients.
Ezaki Glico Co, based in Osaka, and the German Metro Group, have
manufacturing and distribution rights in China.
A day after the test findings were published, Glico released a
statement saying it had always insisted on not using GE ingredients
in their products sold worldwide, and has "never applied double
standards" in China and Japan.
Metro, too, said it "adopts an unitary global standard" and that
there is no difference in the "quality standard" it implements in
China and Germany.
Greenpeace said it remained skeptical about the companies'
responses, after it failed earlier this year to receive a written
guarantee from them not to use GE ingredients in their food.
"They never responded four months ago when we inquired, and it
is impossible that they could have replaced all GE ingredients in
their products in the China market during this time," Luo said.
However, she said the companies had not violated the law.
A 2002 Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) regulation stipulates that
only five categories of GE products should be clearly labeled when
sold in the country - soya, corn, cole, cotton and tomato
seeds.
Processed GE food products such as biscuits, snacks and drinks
are not required to have such labeling.
Ezaki Glico and Metro Group have not broken the law, but Zou
Ping, deputy director of the MOA's GE office said earlier the
ministry had begun a detailed probe into the matter.
Greenpeace's powers are limited to only "urging companies to
comply with commercial ethics and respect Chinese consumers," Zou
said.
Greenpeace said Chinese lawmakers should broaden the existing
scope of GE food labeling.
"It is only through such a legal modification that consumers can
truly enjoy their right to be informed, and choose to act on that
right," Luo said.
"There has been enormous debate on the safety of genetically
modified organisms (GMO), and as of now, there is no global
consensus.
"Moreover, GE foods only emerged in the past decade; their
long-term security cannot be fully evaluated today.
"Because of this situation, a principle of prevention should be
adopted, and no GMOs should be used in food products," she
said.
Kraft Foods adopted a non-GE policy on the Chinese mainland
after its products were found to contain GE ingredients last
year.
The Hong Kong-based Greenpeace China began its anti-GE food
campaign in 1999.
(China Daily June 21, 2007)