LABELLING & TESCO
A European Union regulation introduced September 1st requires that manufacturers list products contain GM soya or maize in their ingredients. Although it is now a legal requirement to label protein from GM soy (and maize) there is no legislation covering the labeling of soy lecithin and soy oil. Tesco, will label all products containing GM soy ingredients. Because the process of producing soy oil or lecithin removes protein and DNA, current DNA tests show that GM material is not present in the end product. "We've now written to all suppliers of lecithin and soya oil and asked them to track where the products come from," a Tesco's spokesman said. The group accepted that as well as those who wished to avoid such foods because of health concern s, there were others who wished to avoid the technology altogether.

Tesco, which is Britain's leading supermarket group, now tops the European league table of food retailers, according to a recent survey. "Customers have a right to know more about the products that they buy - including the origins of their ingredients,"said Tesco. Quite right.

So why, even though they do not know whether or not their soya drink (milk) is GE, will be labelled as containing GM ingredients - just in case? False information?

Meanwhile in Germany Greenpeace have been distributing magnifying glasses to customers to help them read the labelling of GMO foods!