[Science Report]:Rules for Genetically Engineered Foods


This is the VOA SpecialEnglish Science Report.

A group responsible for world food safety has agreed on the firstinternational rules to govern the safety of foods made with geneticengineering.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission approved the rules at a meetingin Geneva, Switzerland earlier this month. Codex is a joint agencyof the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and theWorld Health Organization. One-hundred-sixty-five nations belong tothe organization.

Delegates to the Codex Commission meeting examined concerns aboutthe safety of foods made with genetic engineering. Many groups andindividuals have expressed concern that such foods could be harmfulto human health and the environment.

Genetic engineering is the technology of changing the genes ofliving things. The changed gene directs the plant or other organismto do things it normally does not do. For example, some crops aregenetically engineered to resist harmful insects. The technology hashelped farmers increase crop production. It also reduces the need touse chemicals to kill insects.

The Codex Commission agreed that food from genetically engineeredorganisms should be tested and approved by governments before it canbe sold. The delegates said genetically engineered foods should betested for anything that could cause allergic reactions in humans.They said information about anything known to cause such a reactionshould be clearly shown on the product. However, the delegates werenot able to agree on a proposal to require the identification of allfoods made with genetic engineering.

Jorgen Schlundt is the food safety chief with the World HealthOrganization. He says genetic engineering can be used to make verysafe products. He adds that many foods made with the technology areprobably safer than traditional products. But Doctor Schlundt saysbiotechnology also could be used to do very bad things. He says thatis why a system is needed to measure the safety of each product.

W-H-O director-general Gro Harlem Brundtland praised the CodexCommission agreement. She called it the first international steptoward measuring the safety of genetically engineered foods.

This VOA Special English Science Report was written by GeorgeGrow.

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