GE FREE POLICY

Having a GE-Free policy does not mean a company can guarantee it will not be accidentally contaminated by GE ingredients that have been allowed into the food chain.

That’s because since the late 1990’s authorities in New Zealand and overseas have been approving products from GE organisms that have spread through the food chain despite their best efforts to prevent contamination.

GE ingredients may sometimes spread to where they are not wanted

This can happen in the fields, during transport, at factories where food is produced, and at the point of sale.

More effort is needed to stop GE contamination become more widespread, and to ensure people have a choice to buy GE-Free food for themselves and their families.

That’s why it is important for companies to commit to trying to be GE-Free if they wish to, and for consumers to support them.

Manufacturers concerned about food purity should ask authorities and suppliers to stop approvals of GE crops that will increase contamination in future.

The good news is that most food in the world today is a GE-Free.

But incidents of accidental contamination have occurred in just a few crops like corn canola, soy and rice. Wheat could be next, though consumers around the world are saying no to that.

A few countries have adopted open production of GE crops making the risk of contamination much more likely.

United States (especially soy, canola, rice, maize, milk)

Canada (canola)

Argentina (soy)

Smaller scale GE production is also occurring in South Africa (soy) and Spain (maize). According to the Biotech industry, the list – and the risk of contamination- is growing all the time, but they refuse to accept responsibility.

Some food-additives, enzymes and even yeasts have been produced through genetic engineering and manufacturers should exclude them.

Continue …