1, in April and May this year, the international environmental organization "Greenpeace" in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai market sampling, including 21 kinds of casual food. Recently, Greenpeace announced the results show that five kinds of food produced by the Japanese company Shanghai Ezaki Glico and the German Metro Group contain genetically modified ingredients. Among them, the samples of Vegetable Garden Cake (tomato flavor), Bailey's (espresso tomato flavor), Baci (milk flavor) and Kolon (milk flavor) produced by Glico Company were detected to contain GM ingredients. These foods are available in major supermarkets in our city.
2. On April 8, 2002, the Ministry of Health issued the Measures for the Hygienic Management of Genetically Modified Foods, which stipulates that food products (including raw materials and their processed foods) containing genetically modified organisms or expression products should be labeled as "genetically modified ×× food" or "genetically modified ×× food as raw material". GM xxx food" or "made from GM xxx food". Genetically modified food from potentially allergenic food, but also labeled "this product is transferred to × × food genes, × × food allergy attention", or will be punished.
Hardcore "fans" are hurt
Since the media saw "Glico Metro in China sales of genetically modified products," the news, my friend, Ms. Lee, never bought Glico "vegetable garden small cakes", while before, vegetable garden small cakes is one of her favorite snacks, three days to go to buy a packet of food to eat.
"'Vegetable garden cookies' and a number of other Glico snack foods and Metro's own brand cookies contain genetically modified ingredients." The international environmental organization "Greenpeace" recently announced the results of this test at the same time, but also revealed that the two companies in its home country, but to consumers to make a "refusal to use genetically modified ingredients" commitment. According to the report, these products may use ingredients derived from genetically modified soybeans (3285,5,0.15%) or genetically modified corn (1648,-15,-0.90%).
A stone has stirred up a thousand waves! After the news was spread by the media, it caused a strong reaction on the Internet. An online survey of nearly 4,000 people showed that more than 96 percent of consumers believe that Glico and Metro should not have done this.
"As a consumer without the right to know, I think the so-called 'big international brands' should not fool their own consumers like this." The former "hardcore fans" Ms. Li confessed that she was very sad, and will buy these products again to "think about it".
The reporter found in the visit, this kind of food usually very good sales. However, compared with well-informed people like Ms. Li, more people know nothing about the GMO incident. In the major supermarkets, Glico company produced a few "related to the base" still remain on the shelves. Supermarket staff have no knowledge of the "genetically modified" matter, and said "did not receive any notice about the shelves". At the scene, many consumers were still carefully selecting their favorite flavors in front of the shelves. Asked about the news of the "detection of genetically modified ingredients", the majority of consumers answered "I'm not sure".
Common GM cooking oil
So, in addition to these "stealth" GM foods, supermarkets are common, openly labeled GM foods, what else?
The reporter looked around in the supermarket and found that the most common genetically modified food is cooking oil. The vast majority of cooking oil have "this product contains genetically modified soybean processing raw materials", "this product is processed from non-genetically modified soybeans" and other special instructions, and in the price, but also non-genetically modified cooking oil than genetically modified some more expensive. In a large supermarket promotional cabinet, the reporter saw, the same is a well-known brand of cooking oil, non-GMO price of 56 yuan, while the price of genetically modified as long as 46 yuan or so, although the same specifications, but the price difference of about 10 yuan. Industry insiders say that most of the soybean blended oil and soybean salad oil sold in supermarkets are processed with GM soybeans imported from abroad. As the mainstream consumption of blended oil, more than 90% of its ingredients are used in the GM soybean salad oil.
The reporter randomly interviewed some consumers, and found that most consumers in the selection of edible oil, the main consideration is the price of oil, variety, brand and other factors, and do not pay attention to whether the GMO. It is understood that at present, the public for genetically modified food, especially for genetically modified cooking oil understanding is still far from enough. A newspaper once reported that in Shanghai alone, 62.8% of the consumers surveyed did not know that they had consumed genetically modified cooking oil.
At the same time, some consumers said they would not buy genetically modified food if they knew it was genetically modified." Ms. Chen, a seven-month pregnant mother-to-be, said she would try not to buy genetically modified food unless she didn't know about it. A few consumers said that when shopping for food, they would pay special attention to whether there were signs such as "genetically modified xxx food", "made from genetically modified xxx food" and "this product is genetically modified for xxx food, allergy to xxx food should be noted", etc., on the packaging. Allergy" and other signs. But more consumers still said, "will not pay much attention to whether it is genetically modified food", but on the brand and price of the product is very concerned.
No conclusions on GM safety
There are no conclusions about the safety of GM foods in the world, and in the academic world, there is constant controversy. Supporters believe that genetically modified food is not scary, and even in many ways to bring the gospel to mankind. GM crops can effectively prevent pests and diseases, and also reduce pesticide residues and so on. Up to now, China has not found an approved genetically modified food has a harmful effect on human health.
But the voice of the opponents is also very loud: Although there is no evidence that the consumption of genetically modified food will have any effect on the human body, but the same can not be ruled out its possible adverse effects on the human body, in addition to its toxicity, allergies, environmental pollution, as well as nutritional problems, etc., are in doubt.
So, in the case of genetically modified food is widely controversial, how should the public buy it?
Experts say that GM foods sold on the market are tested by relevant national quality inspection departments, but non-GM is definitely safer and more secure. Eat or not eat genetically modified food are by the public's own ideas, let's say cooking oil, if the public is concerned, you can change to eat other oils that do not indicate genetically modified ingredients, such as peanut oil, olive oil, non-genetically modified canola oil, etc., the safety will be a little higher. Consumers can check the food labeling before purchase, carefully read the text description on the product packaging, or consult with the relevant departments to understand the characteristics of genetically modified food, selective purchase.
■Extended reading
Genetically modified (GM) food is food that has been genetically engineered to implant genes from certain organisms into other species, so that their genetic material changes in the direction people want or prefer, such as making it look more beautiful and more nutritious. As there is still great controversy over the long-term safety of GMOs for consumption, the protection of consumers' right to know and their right to choose on the issue of GM food has become a ****cognizance of the international community. Since March 2002, China has been implementing the Measures for the Administration of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organism Labeling.
The world's first genetically modified food was tomatoes, which were put on the U.S. market in 1993. So far, only a few years, the animal source, plant source and microbial source of genetically modified food development is very rapid, various types of genetically modified food should come into being. And problems related to the food safety of GM foods have occurred one after another---
Foreign countries:
On May 17, 2000, some farmers in the United Kingdom unknowingly planted rape seeds contaminated with genetically modified substances, causing the number of birds in the United Kingdom to drastic reduction in the number of birds in the UK.
In February 2001, Kraft Foods, the largest food manufacturer in the United States, encountered intense pressure from the public over genetically modified ingredients in its products.
On Nov. 12, 2002 the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the quarantine of 1 million dozen buckets of soybeans because the edible soybeans were contaminated with genetically modified corn containing drug chemicals.
Domestic:
Since September 24, 1999, nearly 112 products have been considered by Greenpeace China (Hong Kong) as potentially containing genetically modified ingredients: they are some of the biggest names: Nestle, Lotte, WantWant, Pringles, MaggiLiquidSeasoning, Bestfood, Asahi, MaxwellHouse, Sunkist, and more.
In early April 2001, Beijing quarantine authorities tested imported fried chicken powder and determined that three out of more than a dozen samples contained genetically modified corn ingredients.
On June 3, 2002, a symposium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the environment was held in Beijing, claiming that China's genetically modified insect-resistant cotton had a negative impact on the environment.
According to expert estimates, more than 20 million tons of genetically modified foods have entered the Chinese food chain so far. As GM food ingredients are basically imported, some multinational companies practicing double standards, in conservative Europe, committed not to use genetically modified raw materials, while in China, it is hidden from the sea, so the market, how many genetically modified "anonymous", so far is still an unknown quantity.