GE Canola hits the supermarket shelves
For the first time in Australia, locally produced genetically engineered canola is entering our food chain. From oils to margarine, baby food to snacks, muesli to dairy products, GE canola oil can be found in many processed foods stocked in supermarket shelves across New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia.
Scientific studies on genetically engineered canola have revealed serious concerns and long-term implications for health, sustainability and biodiversity, and agricultural contamination.
More than 180 Australian chefs have signed the “Genetically Modified Free Chefs Charter” opposing serving genetically modified or engineered foods in their restaurants. The Charter also calls on the Federal Government to legislate the compulsory labelling of all GE foods, and to lobby the NSW Government to reinstate its suspension on growing GE canola.
Australia has taken a backward step by introducing genetically engineered canola in our food chain. On the other hand, the Irish Government has taken a bold stance in making Ireland a GM-free zone looking after the best interests of consumers, farmers, and retailers.
The Irish Government will ban the cultivation of all GM crops and introduce a voluntary GM-free label for food – including meat, poultry, eggs, fish, crustaceans, and dairy produce made without the use of GM animal feed.
Current food labelling laws, set up by the Australian food regulator FSANZ, do not require oils, highly processed foods and products derived from livestock fed GE feed to be labelled. The lack of information on a product is detrimental to consumer health and choice.
Australian consumers want to know what’s in their food. To sign the petition for compulsory labelling of all GE foods, go to: http://www.truefood.org.au/OurRightToKnow/
For further reading on this issue, click on any of the links: Genetically Engineered Canola: The reality behind the myths, GM Crops and Legal Risks for Farmers: What are we risking?, Dr Moyes’ GM warnings correct, Gene Technology (GM Crop Moratorium) Amendment Bill 2007.