The Ministry of Health today reported that a study into the unauthorised presence of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) conducted during the course of 2014 has shown that the vast majority of samples examined conformed to regulations.
Throughout 2014, agents from the Food Safety Department of the Directorate of Health conducted checks into 125 samples of food and monitored the regulatory requirements for labelling in the case of the unauthorised presence of GMOs in food.
The first step of analysis involved screening for the detection of the majority of both authorised and unauthorised GMOs, representing 184 analyses in 2014. A second step looked at identifying and quantifying specific GMOs, during which 295 specific GMOs were analysed.
Across the whole sampling campaign, only one non-conformity was detected in a cornflour product which demonstrated a concentration of MON 810 above 0.9% with no indication of such a presence. This GMO is authorised but requires specific product labelling to inform consumers of this aspect. The product was subsequently withdrawn from sale in order to be put into compliance with labelling standards.
A bean sprouts sample was found non-compliant with regards to its trade name, as analysis showed that the product in fact consisted of mung beans. The sales description was consequently altered. However, this product was an example of a description non-compliance rather than a labelling non-compliance in terms of GMO presence. The Ministry reported that detecting this through GMO technical analyses may mean that such techniques could be used to unearth fradulent selling.
During the 2014 test campaign, one sample, a papaya from Ghana, was analysed within the framework of import control activities.
It was found that 5.6% of the samples could not be analysed because the samples did not provide enough genetic material to allow the search of transgenic sequences. This genetic material frequently becomes damaged due to technological treatment of raw materials such as high temperatures. Products which proved the most difficult to analyse in the 2014 campaign were soy sauces.
Overall, 5% of samples showed the presence of a genetically modified organism in a content of less than 0.9% - an amount which is permitted by European regulations and considered coincidental and/or technically unavoidable.
This contamination rate was found to have increased compared with results from 2013, by 3.1%, indicating that difficultires remain in protecting conventional crops and the conventional production process from unintentional contamination from GMOs.
The Ministry therefore continued that it is important to remain vigilant regarding acceptance procedure for GM crops in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and that a strict policy must be maintained regarding the authorisation of genetically modified organisms.
The Ministry continued by stating that it would be continuing these monitoring campaigns in 2015.
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