Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
AMIDST GROWING controversy over the use and sale of genetically modified (GM) foods, Jamaica's Consumers Affair Commission (CAC) is urging that clear labels be attached to such products on the local market.
"We just want consumers to be aware of what is happening so they can make a choice," says Dolsie Allen, CAC's chief executive officer.
"We are not saying that GM foods are wrong or right, but they must be labelled so the public know what they are consuming," said Ms. Allen.
Genetically modified foods are products of plants that have been modified in the laboratory to enhance traits such as increased resistance to pests and herbicide tolerance or improved nutritional content. They also tend to grow at a much faster rate than normal crops.
The use of technology to improve food production is not new. However, the use of genetic engineering has sparked much controversy as a result of the far reaching implications and because of insufficient knowledge about the spin-off effect on the environment and life on a whole.
NO LABELS
These kinds of foods are available on the Jamaican market but they are not labelled as such.
Among the imported GM foods are soy, maize, cotton, canola, tomatoes, corn and potatoes coming from the United States, Argentina, Canada, China, South Africa and Australia.
At present, experiments are being done on rice, wheat, salmon, milk and animals.
Brazil, one of the few countries to outlaw GM foods is facing mounting pressure to ease the ban, while the European Union (EU) and the United States are at loggerheads over whether GM foods should be labelled.
One of the most persuasive argument being used is to address the urgent problems of hunger in the world.
The Sunday Gleaner visited a couple supermarkets to get the views of the persons directly involved the consumers.
"Of course we should know the content of anything that we are buying," said Beverley Buchanan, while shopping at the SuperPlus supermarket in Cross Roads. "Anything that is not naturally done should have side effects."
HEALTHY LIVING
Said Daviceto Swaby, a Seventh Day Baptist minister of religion: "I think there is a great interest in healthy living in Jamaica these days. Bearing that in mind as consumers there is a right for us to know what we are buying. We need to know how it was grown and produced."
Anya Gloudon supports labelling to the point where she tries to buy only local produce. "We need to know so we can choose whether it is all natural or not. I really choose to buy local stuff."
Up to this point, authorities have not yet implemented labelling to provide a choice for consumers.
The Bureau of Standards, established in 1969 with a mission to facilitate trade and protect consumers through timely development, has not yet made a decision on the matter.
"We as a country have not yet decided how we are going to deal with it," said Gladstone Rose of the Standardised Division. "The scientific community hasn't really come down on a position."
According to Mr. Rose, Jamaica is waiting on the international community to make a ruling on labelling, a move he endorses.
However, he feels that, although there is no local group lobbying against GM foods, once it is labelled, crusaders against GM food could get militant and give the impression that these kinds of foods are not safe.
Dr. Audia Barnett of the Scientific Research Council (SRC) also thinks that GM foods should be labelled. "They should have a label so you have a choice," she said. "It is difficult to say if there is any health risk because you don't notice any risk for years. So far they haven't found any health risk."
But she was quick to point out that the movement of genes from plant to plant to improve the efficiency of crops could be a problem.
ALLERGIC
"For example, some people can't eat peanut because they are allergic to it. If that gene is then put into corn for some reason, someone might eat that corn and their allergies affect them and they don't know why," she argued.
But, according to Dr. Barnett, genes are also put in rice to provide vitamin A for people lacking that vitamin.
The issue of traceability and the mechanism to recall are some of the issues the SRC are concerned about. The transfer of genes across species is another major concern which could unexpectedly produce "frankenfood" or worse yet.
So far Jamaica is experimenting with papaya to rid it of the ring spot disease which nearly wiped out the industry, but not for commercial use, said the SRC.
"The research started to look at how we could put in a gene to make it resistant to this virus," said Dr. Barnett. "Nothing else was working, all the chemicals didn't have any effect."
GENETIC ENGINEERING
The commission said it is not against the use of technology to develop foods which are beneficial to consumers and trade in general. "We do have concerns where profit and eagerness to bring to market newly developed foods, take precedence over consumers' health and general welfare," said Anieta Banton, CAC's research and communication officer.
The Cartagena protocol on biosafety is an international set of rules designed to ensure that countries trading in agricultural seeds or foods that may be genetically altered, firstly, know that they are doing so and secondly, are taking the necessary steps to manage any potential risks that these may have on the environment or human health.
