Vol. 485 No. 3
200 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children whether baby food or formula sold in this country contains genetically engineered food; if so, if these products are labelled in this regard; and, if not, the action, if any, he proposes take to ensure they are. [23375/97]
Regulation (EC) 258/97 provides that novel foods and novel food ingredients must undergo a safety assessment and be officially approved/authorised before being placed on the European market. Foods and food ingredients which have not hitherto been used for human consumption to a significant degree within the European Community and which contain or are produced from a genetically modified organism fall, inter alia, within the scope of the regulation. The regulation also contains provisions for the labelling of novel foods and food ingredients. Regulation (EC) 258/97 came into force in May 1997. Prior to that date, there was no legislation in Ireland concerning the genetic modification of foods.
I understand from industry that it is unlikely that infant formula currently on sale in Ireland contains genetically modified ingredients. However it is possible that in the future infant formula may be manufactured from genetically modified soya, which received approval to be placed on the market under Directive 90/220 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified orgnisms before the novel foods regulation came into force.
The European Commission is at present considering, in consultation with the member states, the labelling and consumer information aspects of, inter alia, this genetically modified soya. While awaiting resolution of this discussion at EU level, guidelines on the labelling of such genetically modified products are under active consideration by the Irish food industry. I understand that if, in the future, infant formula sold in Ireland contains such ingredients, such products would come within the scope of these guidelines. My Department is continuing to discuss the matter with the industry to ensure that the consumer is appropriately informed.
