C&EN: TODAY'S HEADLINES - Legislation Seeks World’s Strictest Labeling

BETTE HILEMAN

After much wrangling, the European Council of Agricultural Ministers agreed on a law that would require new labels for genetically modified (GM) food and feed. If passed, the law would lead to the world’s strictest labeling requirements for transgenic commodities.

Under the revised draft law, all food and feed that contains or is derived from transgenic plants must be labeled whether or not it contains DNA or protein of transgenic origin. Under current regulations, feed derived from transgenic plants and highly processed commodities, such as soybean oil and glucose from GM plants, does not have to be labeled.

With this new law, the European Commission hopes to persuade member states not to block applications to license GM products and to lift the de facto moratorium on GM crops in effect in Europe since June 1999.

“This new law further ensures consumer choice through labeling of GMO [genetically modified organism]-derived food and also provides the farmer with information,” says David Byrne, European commissioner for health and consumer protection. “There are no known adverse effects on human health from eating GMOs,” he adds.

The revised draft law is not expected to end the European controversy over GM food. The U.K. voted against the draft, calling it too strict, and Austria and Luxembourg voted against it, saying it is not strict enough. The draft legislation will now be considered by the Environment Council and the European Parliament.—