Posted by kathryn in Shopping Basket, Health News and Food Labelling

With domestic supplies of canola affected by the drought, Cargill (which imports, processes and markets agricultural and food products) will be receiving a consignment of genetically modified (GM) canola from Canada, within the next month. This is the first time GM canola has been imported into Australia and between 40,000 and 50,000 tonnes of canola is being imported.

Labelling laws in Australia mean that products containing highly processed GM foods do not need to be labelled. As Claire Hughes from Choice says :

“If we do start to see a large amount of genetically modified canola coming into Australia, if it’s going to be processed and used as oil, consumers wouldn’t necessarily know if a product they’re purchasing has been genetically modified, or does contain genetically modified canola oil,” she said.

“Our GM labelling laws don’t require a product that has been highly refined . . . to be labelled and canola oil is a good example of that.”

According to the Federal Agriculture Minister, Peter McGauran, the consignment has been independently tested and sampled and meets Australia’s quarantine standards.

Regardless of whether you’re pro or anti-GM foods, in the interests of consumer choice, I really think we have a right to know what foods contain GM crops and what don’t. I want to know what I’m eating, I want to be able to assess foods according to my own knowledge, beliefs and dietary requirements. I want to have the option of choosing whether to say yes or no to GM foods, not to have it sneak in there unremarked upon.

• News reports: Yahoo , the ABC ,
• More about the labelling of GM foods here) .
• Technorati tags: canola , genetically modified , drought , .

29 November, 2006