ISSUES IN FOCUS - GM foods

'Frankenstein Foods' thrust on SA consumers

The African Christian Democratic Party remains the sole voice of objection in Parliament to the introduction of genetically modified (GM) foods to South African food markets.

Large US multi-national GM companies have recently been stopped or sidelined in Europe, Africa and Australasia, and over 37 countries world-wide have already enacted laws to restrict imports or to regulate consumption by required labeling of food containing GM ingredients. The British Medical Association and many others warn of the possible long-term danger to health of consuming these "Frankenstein foods". Other important scientific authorities warn of threats to biodiversity and to the environment.

The world-wide insurance industry, one of the most sophisticated in the world, will not give insurance cover on the possible effects of GMO's on public health or the environment. They compare the risks to thalidomide or asbestosis.

The major trend in the world is to organic and natural foods and Africa has huge potential to respond to this need and to rising demand for organic food yet South Africa seems to be moving in the opposite direction by introducing GM foods into the market.

Final draft regulations governing the Labeling of Foodstuffs Obtained Through Certain Technologies of Genetic Modification are currently with the Department of Health's Legal Unit and are being compiled for publication.

This legislation indicates that no specific handling or storage requirements for GM foods is to be prescribed in South Africa, but that rather persons wishing to claim certain foodstuffs are not genetically modified will need to demonstrate identity preservation throughout the whole food chain themselves.

Placing the onus upon natural foods suppliers to prove the uncontaminated status of their food is a convolution of reality - when the onus should be on GM foods producers not to contaminate natural non-GM foods in the growing and handling phases and to label it accordingly. It is unacceptable that the public, some 92% of whom don't wish to eat GM foods, will effectively have to pay a premium to do so.

South Africa is failing to act in spite of the overwhelming evidence that is building up world-wide. By not acting we threaten our biodiversity, one of Africa's great gifts to the world. We endanger the long term health of our people, rob our consumers of their freedom of choice as to what they eat because we have no labeling or consumer legislation in place on GM food and we compromise the independence of particularly our small farmers that traditionally keep seed over for planting the following season.

The ACDP has consistently called for a moratorium on the further application and use of genetically manufactured organisms in South Africa, at least until comprehensive and credible research has been done on the possible damaging effects to the environment, to public health and to our exports. The ACDP has also called for the government to review the suggested regime for handling, storing and labeling of GM foods.
http://www.acdp.org.za/index.php?page=issue8