UK Food SAfety Minister Calls for Strict GMO LAbeling
LONDON, June 8 (Reuter) - All foods which may contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients must be labelled clearly to give consumers a real choice in what they buy, Food Safety Minister Jeff Rooker said today.
Britain will be pressing at a European level for all foods to be labelled if they contain GM material.
Rooker welcomed the Commission's proposal to make GM soya and maize subject to the same labelling requirements as other GM foods, but emphasised the need to do more.
"Consumers have a right to know if the products they buy contain ingredients which have been genetically modified," Rooker said. "If manufacturers are using these ingredients they should say so.
"Manufacturers and retailers should ensure that these foods are labelled even when the GM ingredients are not fully segregated. The use of genetics to produce better quality food has tremendous advantages but it needs to be regulated and labelled properly," he added.
Rooker said the EC regulation on novel foods provides a European wide framework of statutory controls and that all GM foodstuffs are fully assessed by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes before being authorised for use.
16:54 06-08-97