Guest guest Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 GM Foods Recalled in Japan http://www.rawfoodinfo.com/home/home_a.html Distrust over genetically modified (GM) foods in Japan deepened on June 21 after the third recall in less than a month of snack products containing unapproved gene-spliced potato. Japan's Bourbon Corp. said it had voluntarily recalled some of its snack products after traces of unapproved NewLeaf Plus™ potato were detected. The new rules set zero tolerance for imports containing unapproved gene-altered products and require mandatory labeling for approved GM products. Bourbon said it was recalling its " Potelka " snack produced before June 1, after tests for both NewLeaf Plus™ and NewLeaf Y potatoes turned out positive. Sales of the Potelka products totaled 1.1 billion yen (US$8.9 million) in the 2000/01 fiscal year, against the company's total sales of 86.47 billion yen, a company spokesman said. The recall was expected to cost the company about 80 million yen. Potelka was made from potato ingredients imported from the United States with certificates that showed they were non-GM products, he said. The NewLeaf varieties, developed by leading US agricultural biotech firm Monsanto Co. to protect potatoes from insects and potato viruses, have not been approved in Japan. The discovery of StarLink™ in food products last October by Friends of the Earth had prompted Japan, where StarLink™ is not approved even for animal feed, to distrust US corn and cut its buying. Japan, which imports 4 million tons of corn for food use each year and another 12 million tons for animal feed, is the biggest buyer of US corn. In South Korea, the Korea Corn Processing Industry Association, which imports 2 million tons of corn a year for food use, has already shunned US corn at its import tenders. Korea imports another 6 million tons a year for animal feed. Concern about StarLink™ grew after the South Korean government detected traces of it early this year in some corn imports that carried official US non-StarLink™ certificates. StarLink™, made by Franco-German biotech firm Aventis SA to fight a destructive pest known as the European corn borer, has not been approved by US regulators for human consumption because of fears over potential allergic reactions. Reuters June 22, 2001 -- Dr. Mercola's Comment: Amazing isn't it? If you lived in Japan and Korea you would not be exposed to the GM food debacle that we have in our country, or at least certainly not to the same extent. Most US citizens are absolutely oblivious to the GM food issue and are not aware that these products are banned in many overseas countries. This recent slip-up will have nearly nine million dollars of potato snacks recalled. No problem, as readers of this site will know that potatoes are not that great a food for most of us, especially in its highly processed form. However, add genetic engineering to the equation and you create a real potential for significant problems down the road. If you are not familiar with the GM food issue please review some of the links below. For a great resource to help find products whose manufacturer's have pledged to avoid the use of GM products, see Greenpeace's True Food Shopping List. For more information about GM foods and to become active in getting them off the shelves, or at least labeled, try the following sites: Keep Nature Natural - http://www.keepnatural.org/ The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods - http://www.thecampaign.org Genetically Engineered Food Alert - http://www.gefoodalert.org Friends of the Earth - http://www.foe.org/ Organic Consumers Association - http://www.purefood.org/ Related Articles: Americans Don't Know They are Eating Genetically Modified Food Health Risks of Genetically Modified Foods Genetically Modified Crops Worry Some Scientists Genetically Altered Plants Might Alter You _________________ JoAnn Guest mrsjoguest DietaryTipsForHBP www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes AIM Barleygreen " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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