Gene Altered Foods Flood World Market

UN Codex Committee Decides in Ottawa

(from Tone Magazine, Ottawa, Canada, March 1997)

by R Wolfson, PhD

From April 14-18, 1997, the UN Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) meets in Ottawa. Under the strong influence of the food industry, this Committee makes regulations concerning what foods are allowed on the international market, and the labelling of these foods.

This meeting in Ottawa is critical to the entire world's food supply. Regulations are being considered that would allow thousands of genetically engineered (GE) products to flood the world market. The biotech industry is lobbying Codex to pass internationally binding legislation allowing these experimental foods in every country, without labelling or extensive testing, and mixed in with other foods.

What is on the market now?

How would you feel knowing you were eating tomatoes that contain fish genes, or canola oil containing human genes? Well, you may already be eating these foods and not know it. GE foods already on the market include tomatoes with fish genes, potatoes and corn with toxin genes, and canola oil and soy beans that allow more pesticide use. In addition, hundreds of processed foods, including baby foods, cereals, fruit drinks, cheese, and soy products contain GE ingredients.

The biotech industry, working with the government, has quietly introduced these GE foods, unlabelled and mixed in with other foods, so as not to alarm the public.

Is there any rational reason for being alarmed?

One major problem with genetic engineering is unpredicted side-effects. Because the genetic code is so complex, when we insert even one foreign gene in an organism, it impossible to predict or test for all effects. New toxins, allergies, and diseases, are a few of the results already seen.

For instance, one of the largest seed companies inserted a gene from a brazil nut into a soybean to create a soybean with a more complete protein. However, this soybean also caused an unexpected and severe allergic reaction in certain individuals, which could have even been fatal. Luckily, the producer stumbled onto this problem and the soybean was not released.

Many have heard of the case in 1989 when 37 North Americans died and thousands were permanently disabled from a mysterious disease (called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome or EMS), caused by the unexpected toxic side-effects of a GE food supplement, GE tryptophan. Many hundreds are still in a chronic phase of this painful, debilitating condition. (See EMS home page)

Scientists have also raised concerns that virus genes being put in our foods could mutate into super-viruses, while the spread of antibiotic resistance genes already in many GE foods may result in epidemics.

Why Genetic Engineering?

Many GE foods are engineered to make weed control or insect control easier for farmers. For instance, GE canola, soybeans, and corn, are more resistant to herbicides. This allows farmers to spray with more herbicide to kill weeds, without damaging crops. However, another result is increased use of pesticides that are acutely toxic to humans.

Other GE products, such as GE potatoes, corn, and cotton contain their own toxin (called Bt) to kill insects that try to eat the plant. Yes, the toxin is in the part of the plant that we eat! Because animals who ate these foods did not get sick within a few weeks, researchers concluded that the foods are safe for humans. However, many doctors and scientists are concerned about possible long-term toxic side-effects for humans, which have not been tested for.

The biotech industry has been quite successful in lobbying government regulators to allow GE foods on the market without extensive testing. The principle of "substantial equivalence" is used to quickly approve GE foods if they appear to identical to their non-GE counterpart in a few characteristics, such as nutrition, flavour, and texture. Short-term financial gain by these large, multi-national biotech companies is taking precedence over the unknown long-term side-effects of these foods. Because genetic mistakes will be passed on to all future generations, decisions at this Codex meeting could place the entire human race at risk.

Environmental Effects

The herbicide-resistant crops are expected to result in a threefold increase in herbicide use. When these GE plants cross-pollinate with wild species in the fields, herbicide resistant superweeds can result (and are already being seen), which spread wildly, force out other species, and create ecological havoc. The use of insect resistant crops containing BT toxin can result in superbugs that resist pesticides and also damage organic production.

What We Can Do:

If you would like to see mandatory labelling of all genetically engineered foods and their derivatives, you can send a letter, fax, or email to your Codex representative expressing your request.

Finding your codex representative

In Canada, concerns can be sent to the Head of the Canadian Delegatation: Mr. Gerry Reasbeck

In USA, concerns can be directed to Ms. Rhonda Bond and/or Mr. Patrick Clerkin, Office of the U.S. Coordinator for the Codex Alimentarius

A copy of concerns can be sent to Mr. Thomas J. Billy, A/U.S. Coordinator for the Codex Alimentarius, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Room 331-E, Administration,14th and Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 Tel: 202-770-7025 Fax: 202-690-4437.

For all other countries, you can look up the your Codex representative on the Codex website

Under this topic, choose the subheading: - List of Codex Contact Points You will find the name, address, phone, and fax number for your Codex representatives.

In your letter to your Codex representative, you can simply state that you want mandatory labeling of all genetic engineering foods, in order to protect consumer health, and so consumers can choose for themselves whether they wish to consume these products.

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