Where has all the GM food gone?

By Manjula FERNANDO

A question that had been put in a dark corner of my memory made a comeback during a recent visit to a supermarket.

It's been three years since the tag 'Genetically Modified (GM) food' was made mandatory by law in Sri Lanka. The law's objective was to give freedom of choice to the consumer. This was imperative because independent-data to prove the food is 100% safe is hard to come by.

Nevertheless, there was nothing on the grocery shelf with a GM label or anything indicating that the law is in fact in force. Have we stopped importing GM food altogether? The Sunday Observer made inquiries.

The law on food

As a result of a massive public outcry against genetically engineered food, the Health Department brought in legislature making it mandatory to label all types of GM food, even those which carries traces of GM ingredients (more than the 0.5% permissible level).

This law, gazzetted on August 3, 2006 and made effective January 1, 2007 made it compulsory to carry out thorough research to ensure that the product was fit for human consumption before it was labelled as GM food.

"The law is perfect," said Jagath Gunawardena, a prominent environmentalist and lawyer. "The authorities have done a great job with it, but unfortunately it has stopped at that."

More than three and a half years later the authorities are yet to effect this law and force importers and manufacturers to inform the public with a prominent tag that the product is genetically engineered or manufactured with genetically engineered ingredients.

The law says, No person shall, import, store, transport, distribute, sell or offer for sale, (a) any genetically modified organism as food for human consumption, (b) any food containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms, (c) any food produced from or containing ingredients produced from genetically modified organisms - without the approval of the Chief Food Authority.

It prohibits the import of any such food if the product is harmful for humans and even if the nutrition level of this modified product is not up to the mark.

"Sixty per cent of the soy bean produced in Canada and US are genetically modified. There is ample room for processed food and the wheat flour imported and sold in the local market to get contaminated," Gunawardena said.

"We assessed that there could be 64 different varieties of food items in our grocery stores with GM contamination. That was about five years back. Our assessment was based on the 'Greenpeace' (Environmental INGO) list of international commodities. We cannot vouch for its accuracy," he said stressing the need to an in-depth market analysis.

As per the Sri Lanka law introduced under Section 32 of the Food Act No 1980, importers of consumables have to submit copies of research carried out by them to prove that a food item is fit for human consumption. They should submit details of the particular genetic modification made to the DNA and protein, the process and also the other countries the product is sold.

"This law is very comprehensive but what is the use if it is not put into practice," Gunawardena said adding that the public institutions that are responsible for effecting the GM law were apparently backtracking.

"The private testing institutions equipped with the particular technology to test GM presence in food are not cooperating in such cases."

If we submit samples for testing in the name of public interest, they demand a Court order even if we are ready to meet their costs. This is really unfortunate, he said.

When an application is made to import a particular food item with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) the Chief Food Authority will forward it to a technical evaluation committee for a scientific risk assessment. The applicant has to bear costs for this assessment and related work and the entire process takes up to three months.

Once permission is granted the product can be placed in the market 'subject to appropriate labelling', the gazette stipulates.

Gunawardena said there were no loopholes in the law. In fact, the clause which leaves room to revise an approval and suspend the sale of a product if reassessment or new information finds the product to be harmful for humans, shows the thoroughness of those who drafted the legislation.

"Unfortunately somewhere down the line there is resistance to this new law being implemented in Sri Lanka," he said. "Everyone seems to be passing the buck to the other party."

Lack of interest, bureaucratic red tape and lack of awareness are the other reasons impeding its effective implementation.

Buyer be aware

If the labelling was in force, consumers will know if they were eating genetically engineered food identified as 'risky' by environmentalists. This is not all, the label will inform the consumer what sort of ingredient is modified in the can/packet of food they will be purchasing at the super market. For example, the law requires to label, in an instance of a single-ingredient-product, Soy flour - genetically modified or Soy flour from genetically modified soy beans.

If it is a processed food with more than one ingredient the label should read - Indgredients: Soy Protein Isolate (genetically modified), vegetable oil, emulsifier.

Some may not be curious to know all these mundane details but it will help at least those who are particularly vigilant. And it is the right of the consumer.

Customs Department senior official Samantha Gunasekera said although the law was put in place, the department which keeps a check on the inflow of all imported food consignments, lacks experience and expertise to tackle the issue.

"We have to deal with hundreds of food consignments a day.

This is a new area for Customs officers. Awareness is a big issue and the technical know how and testing facilities are minimal," he complained.

At present the Customs channel suspected food consignments to the Peradeniya University for testing. "If we are to routinely carry out GM testing, we need a new and a fast approach. Food items cannot be delayed at the customs for long periods," he explained.

Any consignment of food brought down to Sri Lanka must be accompanied by an approval certificate from the Food Advisory Committee of the Health Department. Food inspectors permit the release of food consignments to the importer for local sale. Without their stamp, nothing leaves the port.

"They have to test and approve. If we are to identify and detain suspected goods, we must have a comprehensive catalogue of blacklisted and suspected products, manufacturers and countries", Gunasekera said.

"It is not viable to run tests on all samples, what we can do is a random check based on this catalogue."

According to Gunawardena a basic GM testing kit that identifies modified proteins costs about Rs.3000 and these can be kept handy at every airport and port outlets where food consignments are checked.

If they have to go for in-depth study to support a Court case, such detailed analysis could be performed subsequently.

GM technology

Genetic modification involves insertion or deletion of genes in a particular organism to produce a different variety. Sometimes genes are transferred between two varieties that can be conventionally bred and other times between different species such as insect genes into a plant.

Genetically modified soybeans carry herbicide-tolerant traits only, but maize and cotton carries both herbicide tolerance and insect protection traits.

Crops such as soybeans, corn, cotton seeds, Hawaiian papaya, tomatoes, potatoes, canola, sweet corn, rice are cultivated using this technology.

Between 1997 and 2005, the total surface area of land cultivated with GMOs had increased from 4.2 million acres to 222 million acres. Countries cultivating GMOs include United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, China, Paraguay and South Africa. The Grocery Manufacturers of America estimate that 75% of all processed foods in the US contain a GM ingredient.

Maize (corn) is the commonest form of food product in the world using this technology, next is soybean. In India there are more than 20 different food crops including maize, corn and egg plant waiting for government permission to rule the market.

GM food scare

Environmentalists warn against the use of GM technology on crops since there has not been evidential proof to show that genetically modified organisms are NOT harmful to human consumption.

Their argument too is not based on proof. Jagath Gunawardena says there is lack of proof on harmful effects due to the monopoly maintained by multinational companies in the research field. External funding on food research primarily comes from private companies. They spend large sums on research beneficial to them. Any attempt in the other direction will be suppressed through paid-campaigns. And they will instigate a major debate to discredit their findings.

A scientist says

A senior agribiotech professional based in Hyderabad, India, Dr. P. Basavaraju told the Sunday Observer that he personally supports GM this technology because of the growing population in the world. This technology will give more yield to the farmer, nutrition to the consumer and resistance to most biotic and abiotic stresses. Pests and drought are responsible for the loss of 20 percent of world agri products.

There are negative aspects as well. Highly popular local varieties will lose their identity and existence in the years to come due to lack of good and strict government regulations in handling GMOs.

Dr. Basavaraju, who has more than 12 years of experience in the area of agribiotechnology, particularly on crop improvement and sustainable agriculture, said "GMOs are made only for good health.

People believe that GMOs produce toxins. This is not true. They are harmful to the specific insects, pathogens or to weeds, not to human beings or other animals." But he agrees that technology should be debated before being permitted and the people have a right to accept or reject any new invention.