China’s agriculture ministry said it would back new laws on genetically modified (GMO) food labeling “at a suitable time” as it seeks to assuage public concerns over safety, but added that current laws protect consumers.
Beijing has spent billions of dollars researching GMO crops and has said it is aiming for commercialization of the first GMO corn and soybean crops within the next five years.
. . . [T]he government still faces strong opposition from members of the public, academics and industry, raising questions about how it will introduce new biotech crops to the market.
“Following a safety assessment before reaching the market, GMO food products are as safe as conventional foods,” the ministry said in a statement.
The statement came in response to a proposal submitted to China’s legislature earlier this year. . . calling for a separate law regulating the safety of GMO foods.
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The current law does not set a threshold at which food products must be labeled as containing biotech ingredients. . . .
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: China seeks to assuage consumer fears over GMO foods
