By Matthew
Harris
SAO PAOLO
(Reuters Health) - The Brazilian Institute of Consumer Defence
(ICD) this week called for an official investigation to be launched
after tests carried out on a range of over 30 food products showed
the presence of genetically modified DNA in 11 of them. Several
companies have been ordered by the Centre for Sanitary Vigilance
of the State of Sao Paulo to withdraw their brands from supermarket
shelves in response to the tests.
The ICD, in
partnership with Greenpeace and the Swiss laboratory Interlabor
Belp AG, found transgenic soya or corn, in quantities of up to
10% of the contents of the food products. The transgenic ingredient
was not indicated on the labels of any of the products, contravening
state and federal law.
The tests
used by the ICD included a polymerase chain reaction test to detect,
identify and then quantify transgenic DNA, such as that of Monsanto's
Roundup Ready and Novartis' Bt-11. The transgenic DNA that was
found in the food products was identified as that of Roundup Ready
in all cases.
The products
that were found to be positive for the DNA included Knorr's Sweetcorn
soup, Bristol-Meyer Squibs' non-lactose formula and Nestle's soya
formula. The companies have been given until the 16th of August
to remove the products and provide reports on the findings.
Meanwhile,
the ICD has advised consumers to not buy products from Argentina,
Canada or the USA that are likely to contain soya or corn.
Despite a
ruling by federal judge Dr. Antonio Prudente that the use of transgenic
products needs a full environmental impact assessment before its
introduction into the country, the Ministry of Agriculture had
earlier this year authorised the liberation of transgenic corn.
The National
Technical Commission on Biosecurity, which advises the Ministries
of Science and Technology, Health, Agriculture, and Environment,
had reported that the environmental impact studies performed in
the US had proven to be sufficient and that no harmful effect
has been indicated with their use in animal feed. The Commission
has not, however carried out an independent assessment of the
products. The dispute may be taken to the higher courts, particularly
the Supreme Justice Tribunal and the Supreme Federal Tribunal.
Marilena Lazzarini,
executive coordinator of the ICD, commented in a press release
Monday that ``despite pressure from the Government and Monsanto,
reverting the decision of the courts will not be possible. We
hope that (the government and Monsanto) will give up the irresponsible
proposal of liberating transgenic products into Brazil without
the necessary evaluation of the risks to humans and the environment.''
Andrea Salazar,
attorney to the ICD, declared that ``these decisions are founded
in the law, which is very clear on this matter (the necessity
of an environmental impact assessment), leaving little margin
for interpretation.''
A decision
on the action to be taken against the companies whose products
contained the transgenic DNA is expected within the next few weeks.
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