MADGE - Mothers Are Demystifying Genetic Engineering

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW IF YOU’RE EATING GM FOOD?

If so, you only have until 20th November to ask the Food Labelling Review Panel to LABEL ALL GM FOOD.

Even a short email will help: FoodLabellingReview@health.gov.au.

Think about it... have you noticed any GM food labels? Currently although up to 70% of processed food contains GM ingredients (1) almost none legally require labelling. (2)

Here are 3 things you might like to know about GM food:

Doctors specialising in environmental medicine say there is a link between GM foods and illness (3). They state "several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food consumption". They include: allergy; gastrointestinal, liver and kidney changes; immune dysregulation; dysregulation of insulin and cholesterol response; accelerated ageing and reduced fertility.
GM food is not independently tested – Our food regulators, FSANZ, do not test the food. They say "It is the responsibility of companies that have developed GM foods to demonstrate the safety of that food and to supply FSANZ with the raw data from scientific studies to prove this.” (4) FSANZ also expect “the developer ….. to monitor for existing and emerging risks that may be associated with its product and notify regulatory authorities whenever new information is uncovered." (5) This is like asking tobacco companies to check that smoking is safe.
There aren’t any GM crops with health benefits, high yields, salt or drought tolerance. Most crops are genetically modified either to create their own poisons to kill insects or to survive when sprayed with weedkiller. (6)

WE NEED YOUR HELP!:

At the moment, unless you eat organic, you don't have much choice about GM foods, which are increasingly being used in our food in Australia.

Please:

Tell the Food Labelling Review Panel to LABEL ALL GM FOOD – currently oils, sugars and starches from GM crops; products from animals fed GM food; GM additives, processing aids and flavourings; and food from street vendors, takeaways and restaurants do not need to be labelled.
If you want more information check out:
1. Current GM labelling Standards (7)
2. Eating in the dark – report on our food regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand (8)
3. Review Terms of Reference (9)
If you are concerned about nanoparticles (tiny manufactured particles some of which have similarities to asbestos) in food ask for those to be labelled too. (10)
Spread the word! – Forward on this email, ask your friends to visit this page of the Madge Website: www.madge.org.au/labelling-review-20112009.php or Twitter this link.

Madge Website: www.madge.org.au
Contact us: info@madge.org.au
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References