Rory O'Hanlon
Question:136 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children the recommendations the World Health Organisation have made on genetically modified foods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11159/00]
Written Answers. - Genetically Modified Foods.
At the 105th session of the WHO executive board, held in January 2000 in Geneva, the WHO announced a plan for the expansion of its food safety programme in response to new challenges in food safety. In this context, WHO has given an undertaking to define what research is needed to determine whether there may be any positive or negative health implications arising from the consumption of genetically modified foods.
In her Report on Food Safety dated 2 December 1999, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, director general of the WHO, stated that the issue of modern technology including biotechnology is to be addressed by WHO.
In its agenda for the future, WHO has committed itself to, inter alia, support and provide the scientific basis for decisions regarding genetically modified foods through the addition of a specialised staff member, and in so doing, specifically address human health considerations.
At its 105th meeting, the executive board of the WHO recommended that the 53rd World Health Assembly, due to meet in Geneva in May, adopt the following resolution: "Aware of the increased concern of consumers about the safety of food, particularly after recent foodborne-disease outbreaks of international and global scope and the emergence of new foods derived from biotechnol ogy, the executive board, requests the director general to support member states in providing the scientific basis for health-related decisions regarding genetically modified foods."
The first Joint WHO-FAO Consultation on Strategies for Assessing the Safety of Foods Produced by Biotechnology was held in 1990. A further workshop on the principles of substantial equivalence to the safety evaluation of foods or food components from plants derived by modern biotechnology was held in Copenhagen in November 1994. The outcome of these activities constituted a basis for the development of guidelines for the evaluation of foods produced by biotechnology by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. To this end, a Joint FAO-WHO consultation on biotechnology and food safety was convened in Rome in September 1996. This consultation made recommendations on substantial equivalence, allergenicity, gene transfer from genetically modified plants, food organisms expressing pharmaceuticals or industrial chemicals, databases, method development and developing countries. An elaboration of these recommendations is available on the FAO's website atwww.fao.org.
In resolution WHA 16.42 – May 1963 – the Sixteenth World Health Assembly approved the establishment of the joint FAO-WHO food standards programme, with the joint FAO-WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission as its principal organ. The commission has subsequently elaborated many international standards on food safety. As the international agency dealing with health, WHO bears the main responsibility for the health and safety aspects of Codex Alimentarius activities so that the health of consumers is appropriately protected. The current working relationship between WHO and FAO under the joint FAO-WHO food standards programme is currently being reviewed with a view to increasing WHO's scientific and public health role in the work of the Codex Alimentarius. WHO has stated that it will continue, in close collaboration with the World Trade Organisation – WTO – to advocate that member states fulfil their obligations to take health considerations into account in the globalisation of trade.
The Codex Alimentarius has recently established a task force on foods derived from biotechnology. The objectives of this task force are to elaborate standards, guidelines or other principles as appropriate for foods derived from biotechnology or traits introduced into foods by biotechnology, on the basis of scientific evidence, risk analysis and having regard, where appropriate, to other legitimate factors relevant to the health of consumers and the promotion of fair trade practices. The task force is due to complete its work within four years. A preliminary report is due to be submitted to the Codex Commission in 2001, a mid-term report in 2002 and a full report in 2003. The first meeting of the task force took place in Chiba, Japan from 14 to 17 March, 2000. At this meeting the task force decided that it would proceed with the elaboration of two major texts, namely: a set of broad general principles for risk analysis of foods derived from biotechnology, and specific guidance on the risk assessment of foods derived from biotechnology.
An FAO-WHO expert consultation on biotechnology is due to take place in Geneva in June 2000. The current scope of the consultation is to review the current methodology on safety assessment, including the concept of substantial equivalence, and also to study the nutritional aspects of foods derived from biotechnology.
Rory O'Hanlon
Question:137 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children the regulations in place for the sale of genetically modified foods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11160/00]
There are three main pieces of legislation for which my Department is responsible. These are outlined as follows:
1.Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients came into force in all member states on 15 May 1997. This regulation provides that novel foods and novel food ingredients, including genetically modified food, must undergo a safety assessment and be officially approved or authorised before being placed on the European market. It also contains provisions in certain instances for the labelling of novel foods and novel food ingredients.
Foods and food ingredients which fall within the scope of this regulation are those which have not as of 15 May, 1997 been used for human consumption to a significant degree within the European Community and which fall into the following categories:–
(a)foods which contain genetically modified organisms – GMOs;
(b)foods which are produced from but do not contain GMOs;
(c)food and food ingredients with an intentionally modified molecular structure;
(d)foods composed of micro-organisms, fungi or algae;
(e)foods produced from plants or animals not using traditional propagation techniques; and
(f)foods which are produced from new technologies which give rise to significant changes in the composition or structure of the food.
Labelling ProvisionsThe regulation states that there must be specific labelling to inform the consumer of any characteristic or food property, e.g. composition, nutritional value, nutritional effects, 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, e.g. a protein from a known food allergen source such as peanuts;
–material which is not present in an existing equivalent foodstuff and which gives rise to ethical concerns, e.g. a gene of porcine origin in a plant; or
–an organism genetically modified by techniques of genetic modification, e.g. a genetically engineered tomato.
2.Council Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 concerning the compulsory indication on the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms of particulars other than those provided for in Directive 79/112/EEC as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 49/2000 of 10 January 2000.
The labelling and other provisions of the Novel Foods Regulation as outlined above do not apply to foods or food ingredients which were used for human consumption to a significant degree within the EU before the entry into force of the Regulation and, therefore, not considered to be novel. Regulation 1139/98 applies to foods and food ingredients which are produced, in whole or in part, from:
(a) a genetically modified soya bean, manufactured by Monsanto
(b) a genetically modified maize, manufactured by Novartis.
These products were authorised under Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment. This Directive is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment and Local Government in Ireland.
LabellingThis regulation lays down additional labelling requirements for the products outlined above. Such labelling ensures that the final consumer is informed of any characteristic or food property, such as composition, nutritional value or 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.
If genetically modified protein or DNA is present in a foodstuff, then that foodstuff is subject to the additional labelling requirements. In short, the words "produced from genetically modified soya" or "produced from genetically modified maize" must appear in the list of ingredients.
Commission Regulation (EC) No 49/2000 of 10 January 2000 amending Council Regulation (EC) No. 1139/98 concerning the compulsory indica tion on the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms.
This regulation sets ade minimis threshold level for adventitious contamination at 1% (of each ingredient individually considered). It came into effect on 10 April 2000.
The rationale for such a threshold is to avoid a situation whereby foods and food ingredients would have to be labelled in cases in which, despite not being from GMO origin, small proportions of modified DNA or protein would be present due to "accidental" contamination of conventional soya or maize with GM soya or maize. Adventitious contamination can potentially occur at many stages of the production chain, from the field – pollen – through transport and storage to food processing.
At a level below this 1%, products not of GMO origin but containing small proportions of genetically modified DNA or protein due to adventitious contamination, will not be subject to the additional labelling requirements as outlined above.
3.Commission Regulation (EC) No 50/2000 of 10 January 2000 on the labelling of foodstuffs and food ingredients containing additives and flavourings that have been genetically modified or have been produced from genetically modified organisms.
Regulation (EC) No. 258/97, the Novel Foods Regulation, or Regulation (EC) No. 1139/98 do not apply to additives and flavourings intended to be used in foodstuffs. The Commission, in consultation with member states, agreed that it was important that consumers should be informed of the use of additives or flavourings that have been genetically modified or have been produced through genetic engineering as they are already informed of the presence of other ingredients containing or produced from genetically modified organisms. Discussions culminated in Regulation 50/2000/EC which came into effect on 10 April 2000.
Labelling ProvisionsIf genetically modified protein or DNA is present in a food additive or flavouring, then that food additive or flavouring is subject to the additional labelling requirements. In short, the words “produced from genetically modified ..” must appear in the list of ingredients.