EXCERPTS: Nine years after the debut of genetically modified organisms in the world market, consumers in East Asia are still worried about eating GMO food...

Takashi Oaki, secretary general of the Japan Oil & Fat Importers & Exporters Association, was quoted as saying, "Food processors do not use GMO crops for products that are subject to labelling requirements. I don't think this stance will change in the future."

Oaki was urther cited as noting that if China becomes the first country to introduce GMO rice, "China's move could rekindle public concerns as Japanese have special feelings about rice -- their staple food."
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Safety concerns keep E. Asia consumers off GMO food
Aya Takada and Cho Mee-young
Reuters, March 8, 2005 [via Agnet]

TOKYO/SEOUL - Nine years after the debut of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the world market, consumers in East Asia are, according to this story, still worried about eating GMO food, although the region uses grain from such crops for feed.

Takashi Oaki, secretary general of the Japan Oil & Fat Importers & Exporters Association, was quoted as saying, "Food processors do not use GMO crops for products that are subject to labelling requirements. I don't think this stance will change in the future."

The story notes that the Japanese government has approved for human consumption 59 GMO varieties for six crops -- potatoes, soybeans, sugar beet, corn, rapeseed and cotton. Oaki was urther cited as noting that if China becomes the first country to introduce GMO rice, "China's move could rekindle public concerns as Japanese have special feelings about rice -- their staple food."

Japan has also been developing GMO rice varieties and is trying to turn consumer sentiment in favour of the products. Kyoko Saito, director of the Agriculture Ministry's biotechnology safety division, was quoted as saying, "Many people are concerned about GMO safety because they don't know much about it. We will step up efforts to explain
how useful the technology is."

Kim Ja-hei, executive director of the Citizens Alliance for Consumer Protection of Korea, was quoted as saying, "It is not certain that GMO crops produced for feed are safe for people to eat."

Under Japanese law, food made from GMO crops must be labelled to help consumers make an informed choice. But products in which DNA or protein resulting from gene alteration cannot be detected using existing technologies, such as cooking oil, are exempted.

South Korea requires labelling for GMO beans, bean sprouts, corn and potatoes, and also for food for human consumption processed from these commodities. It plans to expand the regulation to cover all living organisms imported for human consumption this year, in line with global regulations.