Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2004
187 Ms Cooper-Flynn asked the Minister for Health and Children if, in view of the fact that food products with less than 1% of a genetically modified ingredient are not being labelled as containing a genetically modified component, he intends introducing secondary legislation to address this situation. [14882/04]
View answerIn the production of food, feed and seed, it is almost impossible to achieve products that are 100% pure. Minute traces of genetically modified organisms can arise in conventional food and feed during cultivation, harvest, transport and processing. This is not particular to genetically modified organisms. Accordingly, to ensure legal certainty, thresholds have been established above which conventional food and feed must be labelled as consisting of or containing or being produced from a genetically modified organism. The labelling requirement is a consumer choice measure and not for food safety reasons
The latest EU legislation does not apply to foods containing material which contains, consists of or is produced from genetically modified organisms in a proportion no higher than 0.9% of the food ingredients considered individually or food consisting of a single ingredient, provided that this presence is adventitious or technically unavoidable. Previously, the level had been1%. The new threshold will apply to all genetically modified organisms authorised under the new regulations and will also apply to those authorised under the novel foods regulation.
As this legislation is binding on each member state it ensures a uniform and consistent approach to the labelling of products within the EU. Accordingly, it is not intended to introduce secondary legislation.
