Written Answers. - Genetically Modified Organisms.
Mary Coughlan
Question:
99
Miss Coughlan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the position regarding labelling regulations for genetically modified foods; and if he has raised this important issue with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
[5211/99]
The European Union, supported by member states, has developed legislation in relation to the labelling of genetically modified foodstuffs. The purpose of measures taken by the European Union on the labelling of such food is to give consumers clear, neutral and scientifically sound information on products derived from a genetically modified source.
My Department is the competent authority in Ireland for EU legislation pertaining to the genetic modification of foodstuffs intended for human consumption. There are two EU regulaions in this regard.
Regulation No. 258 of 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients came into force in all member states on 15 May 1997. The regulation provides that novel foods and novel food ingredients, including genetically modified foods, must undergo a safety assessment and be officially approved and authorised before being placed on the European market.
Labelling should make it possible for consumers to make choices and the novel foods regulation states that there must be specific labelling to inform the consumer of any characteristic or food property – for example, composition, nutritional value, nutritional effects and/or intended use of the food – which renders a novel food or novel food ingredient no longer equivalent to an existing food or food ingredient. There must also be specific labelling to advise the consumer of the presence in the novel food or novel food ingredient of: material which is not present in an existing equivalent foodstuff and which may have implications for the health of certain sections of the population; material which is not present in an existing equivalent foodstuff and which gives rise to ethical concerns; or an organism genetically modified by techniques of genetic modification.
I should also state that these labelling requirements for novel foods as prescribed by the novel foods regulation are additional to the general food labelling provisions which are the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
The labelling and other provisions of Regulation No. 258/97 as outlined above do not apply to foods or food ingredients which were used for human consumption to a significant degree within the Community before the entry into force of the regulation and, therefore, not considered to be novel. To address consumer concerns in this regard, the Commission published Regulation No. 1139 of 1998 concerning the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms. This regulation came into effect on 1 September 1998 and ensures that the same labelling rules for the information of the final consumer apply to foods and food ingredients consisting of, or derived from, GMOs which were placed on the market before the entry into force of Regulation No. 258/97.
The regulation applies to foods and food ingredients which are produced, in whole or in part, from: Monsanto genetically modified soya beans and Novartis genetically modified maize.
The regulation lays down additional labelling requirements for these products. Such labelling ensures that the final consumer is informed of any characteristic or food property, such as composition, nutritional value, nutritional effects or the intended use of the food, which renders a food or food ingredient no longer equivalent to an existing food or food ingredient.
In essence, if genetically modified protein or DNA is present in a foodstuff, then that foodstuff is subject to the additional labelling requirements.
The controls as outlined provide protection to consumers and I wish to assure the Deputy that I am keeping the matter under continuing review to ensure that this continues to be the case. I am aware that consumers wish to be in a position whereby they can decide whether or not they want to consume products either containing genetically modified material or produced using genetic modification techniques, and I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to urge for maximum transparency on this issue.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland's scien tific committee has established a GMO and novel foods sub-committee which advises my Department on issues in relation to the genetic modification of foodstuffs. This sub-committee also affords a forum for the exchange of expert scientific opinion and advice on this new technology and its application to food.
My Department is in on-going consultation with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland to ensure that consumers are informed to the greatest degree possible in relation to the genetic modification of foodstuffs.
