http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/48772.htm
Popular Indian foods have genetically modified components: Greenpeace
New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Food products of Nestle, Cadbury, Kellogg,
Britannia, and Safal are among those on a 'red list' in a guide prepared by
NGO Greenpeace about common food products in India that have genetically
modified (GM) components or are GM-free.
The Safe Food Guide released by Greenpeace here ranks 16 well-known brands.
It places food manufacturers like MTR, Dabur, Haldiram's, ITC Foods, PepsiCo
India and Ruchi Soya in the 'green list' based on their stand to Greenpeace
that their products are GM-free.
In the 'red list' are Nestle, Hindustan Unilever, Kellogg, Cadbury, Agro
Tech Foods Ltd, FieldFresh Foods Pvt Ltd (a unit of Bharti Enterprises),
Bambino Agro Industries Ltd, Britannia Industries Ltd, Godrej Hershey Foods,
Parle and Safal.
While releasing the guide, Jai Krishna of Greenpeace India demanded that
"food businesses adopt a no-GM policy, because of the risks to health and
environment, and take proactive steps to inform consumers about the presence
or absence of GM ingredients in their products".
"The safety of GM crops as a foodstuff for animals and humans is unknown and
the testing regimes are inadequate," Jai Krishna added, alleging: "Studies
on laboratory animals (rats) have pointed out potential health risks,
including allergies, abnormal growth of organs such as liver and kidney and
many unpredictable effects".
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http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=4124
FMCG majors in Greenpeace 'Red' list on GM foods
09 Sep 2009
Greenpeace, the ecology campaigners, have okayed Pepsico, ITC, MTR, Dabur
and Haldiram. But given a thumbs-down to Britannia, Cadbury, Hindustan
Unilever, Nestle, Kellogg and Safal.
The issue is the use of Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients in foodstuffs.
Greenpeace India today released its first 'Safe food guide', which has a
'Red' (avoid for now) and 'Green' (safe to use) recommendation.
The Green list comprises those companies that have assured Greenpeace they
do not source GM ingredients (Pepsico, Dabur, etc). The Red list consists of
companies that may have products containing GM ingredients (HUL, Nestle,
etc).
Jai Krishna, sustainable agriculture campaigner, Greenpeace India, says,
"The safety of GE crops as foodstuff for animals and humans is unknown and
the testing regimes are inadequate. Studies on laboratory animals (rats)
have pointed out potential health risks, including, abnormal growth of
organs such as liver and kidney and many unpredictable effects. Therefore,
this guide has an important role to inform consumers."
There are no labellings regulations in India, according to Greenpeace.
Currently, India does not allow the commercial cultivation of GM food crops,
but there may be GM food ingredients in the food produced in India. Going by
the 2008 figures given by Greenpeace, 56 GM crops are undergoing research in
India. Of these, 41 comprise 169 varieties of cereals, oil seeds, cash
crops, vegetables, fruit, pulses and spices. While a majority of these are
in the laboratory stage, 11 food crops are undergoing various stages of
field trial.
Source: Business Standard