GMO-free

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The terms GMO-free , GMO-free or (incorrectly) GMO- free are used to designate products that are free from genetically modified organisms and were also produced without their help. The term mainly encompasses the subject areas of food and cosmetic products ; in the case of pharmaceuticals and medicines , the questionability of genetic engineering production is hardly discussed.

The term “gene-free” is misleading in this context, as almost all foods are made from living things and therefore contain their genes . The word “gen-” is a misleading abbreviation of genetic engineering . In biological terminology, the term “gene-free” occurs in connection with areas of the genome that do not contain genes. These include, for example, the centromeres and telomeres of the chromosomes and heterochromatin in general.

A GMO-free zone is an area that is or should be free of genetically modified organisms in animal and / or plant breeding.

GMO-free foods

In connection with food , the terms are used to differentiate GM-free from genetically modified foods . In the case of animal products, GMO-free feed is usually included.

In Germany, for example, voluntary labeling without genetic engineering is permitted. From 1998 to 2008 the requirements were very strict and excluded any application of genetic engineering at all processing stages. Hardly any product with this label came onto the market. Since May 1, 2008, the requirements for GMO-free labeling have been significantly weakened: animals do not have to be fed GM-free feed for their entire life. In the case of pigs, appropriate forage plants must be avoided in the last four months before slaughter, in the case of milk-producing animals the last three months are sufficient, and in the case of chickens the last six weeks for egg production. Genetically modified feed additives are tolerated up to 0.9%. In addition, feed additives such as vitamins or amino acids produced with the help of genetically modified microorganisms as well as genetically engineered drugs and vaccines are permitted. For this reason, should in Switzerland , the milk not be recognized as gene-free.

An Öko-Test study on soy products showed that two thirds of 33 products tested contained genetically modified ingredients. Such admixtures are widespread, since genetically modified components get into the products through contamination during harvest, transport and processing, for example also in biscuits, ready meals, sausage products or chocolate.

In the case of processed foods “without genetic engineering”, ingredients and additives, vitamins and amino acids, flavors and enzymes from genetically modified plants are taboo. Exceptions are allowed according to the EU organic regulation for organically produced food , as there are no longer any “gene-free” alternatives. In plant foods "without genetic engineering", minor, incidental, technically unavoidable GMO admixtures would also be tolerated. Previous regulations would be stricter, as they excluded any use of genetic engineering at all processing stages. The EU Parliament initially demanded a limit of 0.1 percent. Ultimately, the member states of the European Union agreed in December 2007 on a limit value for accidental contamination of 0.9 percent, which also applies to conventional products. Even unintentionally contaminated food must be labeled as “genetically modified” in the EU above this threshold. In Switzerland, the tolerance limit is currently 0.1 percent.

Criticism of the term "gene-free"

The adjective gene-free appears in product advertising, is used in political campaigns against genetically modified food and also in media reports. The cultural scientist Nico Stehr said in an interview about his book "The Moralization of Markets" to Der Spiegel: "If you go to a supermarket today, you can hardly buy milk that is not declared as GMO-free". Molecular biologist Renée Schroeder criticizes such logos with the words: "What message should I take with me as a consumer if I only read at first glance that milk is GM-free?" Of course, no animal or vegetable product is gene-free. The term is misleading in terms of content: Almost all foods are of organic origin, i.e. they are obtained from living beings . These always contain genetic material ( hereditary material ) in the form of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which always contains genes . Only non-organic foods such as water or table salt and some technically purified foods such as refined vegetable oils and crystallized sugar contain no or only very small amounts of DNA, i.e. they are free of genes.

The misleading use of the term “gene-free” led to reports in blogs that make fun of nonsensical terms such as “gene-free plants” or the like, or discuss serious concerns about this use of “gene-free”. The analogous English term "gene free" also occurs.

National

European law

Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed applies , which requires in particular “Food and feed containing GMOs should be clearly labeled”. This non-binding regulation as well as the one that products with a proportion of less than 0.9% GMOs do not need to be labeled if the proportion is merely accidental or technically unavoidable, is viewed critically by anti-genetic engineering.

In 2015, Directive (EU) 2015/412 came into force, which allows member states to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms on their territory.

Germany

The logo "Ohne Gentechnik" (Germany)

Since August 2009, there has been a uniform, voluntary logo for food “Ohne Gentechnik” in Germany , but with numerous exception rules.

Austria

The genetic engineering referendum took place in Austria in April 1997 . It was with good 1.2 million supporters, about 1 / 6 of the population, the second most successful referendum in history. As a result, the ban on the production , import and sale of genetically modified foods was  enshrined in the Genetic Engineering Act (GTG), which was created in 1994 (this law also deals with human medical aspects of genetic analyzes and gene therapy , Section IV).

The most important implementing provisions can be found in the Austrian Food  Book (ÖLMB): Guideline for the definition of the "GMO-free production" of foods and their labeling (Codex Guideline GMO-free) . The Codex Commission is supported by an expert group for GMO-free production . The labeling system “GM-free produced” has existed since 1997. Since 2010 there has also been a variant “Manufactured without genetic engineering” for the export market in Germany and Switzerland, which has been the only binding form since January 1, 2013 in terms of uniform labeling.

But feed is excluded from this , so it is estimated that 80 percent of the 450,000 tons of imported soy meal or press cake come from genetically modified plants, mainly spray-resistant patent products. Only the regulated organic products are consistently GMO-free, and a number of manufacturers have switched to being completely GMO-free. Since 2010, the Austrian dairy industry as well as the fresh eggs, chicken and turkey meat production have agreed on GMO-free feeding. Suitable feed can be labeled “suitable for the production of GMO-free food” (ÖLMB RL Gentechnikfrei  7.8).

The total ban is also explosive in the context of the free trade agreement TTIP / CETA , since the currently known regulations of the Austrian legal situation do not meet industry-internal assumptions, so Austria may not be able to ratify the agreement without abandoning the referendum of 1997.

In 2015, the genetic engineering ban on cultivation framework law was passed, which enshrines the safeguarding of GMO-free cultivation "while exhausting all possibilities of EU Directive 2015/412 for the right to self-determination".

See also

Legal sources

  1. ↑ Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of September 22, 2003 on genetically modified food and feed. (Text with EEA relevance) OJ. No. L 268 of 18/10/2003 pp. 1–23 (as amended by German online, EUR-Lex ; explanations ).
  2. ↑ a b Directive (EU) 2015/412 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 amending Directive 2001/18 / EC on the possibility granted to the member states to allow the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on their territory restrict or prohibit. OJ L 68 of March 13, 2015, pp. 1–8 (as amended by German online, EUR-Lex).
  3. ↑ Law on "Ohne Gentechnik" labeling (Article 2, §3a) ( BGBl. 2008 I p. 499 ) (PDF; 93 kB)
  4. ↑ Federal law regulating work with genetically modified organisms, the release and marketing of genetically modified organisms and the use of genetic analysis and gene therapy on humans ( Genetic Engineering Act - GTG). StF: Federal Law Gazette No. 510/1994 (as amended online, ris.bka ).
  5. ↑ a b Guideline for the definition of the "GMO-free production" of foods and their labeling Vöff. Gfz. BMGF-75210/0014-IV / B / 7/2007 of December 6, 2007 (food book.at, with pdf).
  6. ↑ Regulations on the prohibition of the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (genetic engineering cultivation prohibition framework law) . StF: Federal Law Gazette I No. 93/2015 (as amended online, ris.bka).

Web links

Wiktionary: GMO-free  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Germany:

Austria:

Switzerland:

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ulf Dettmer, Malte Folkerts, Eva Kächler, Andreas Sönnichsen: Intensive course in biochemistry . Elsevier, Urban & Fischer Verlag, 2005, ISBN 978-3-437-44450-0 , pp. 222 ( google.com [accessed June 10, 2016]).
  2. ^ "Without genetic engineering": Some genetic engineering is allowed. In: transGEN. Forum Bio- und Gentechnologie eV, June 11, 2015, accessed on June 10, 2016 .
  3. ↑ Klaus Bonanomi: Swiss milk - when is milk GMO-free? In: srf.ch . March 10, 2018, accessed May 3, 2019 .
  4. ↑ An alarming number of genetically-contaminated products. Öko-Test press release. In: HEALTH ADHOC. January 5, 2009, accessed June 10, 2016 .
  5. ↑ Press release from Ökotest from January 5th, 2010.
  6. ↑ genetic engineering. (No longer available online.) In: cvua-mel.de. CVUA-MEL , archived from the original on June 10, 2016 ; accessed on June 10, 2016 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.cvua-mel.de
  7. ↑ P. Michel: Soon, GM food will land on our plates. In: 20min.ch . September 2, 2019, accessed September 2, 2019 .
  8. ↑ Sparmedo GmbH: Tremella Fuciformis Vegi-kaps capsules. (No longer available online.) In: Sparmedo Price Comparison. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014 ; accessed on June 10, 2016 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.sparmedo.de
  9. ↑ Gene-free walking - Right2Know March - March for genetic engineering-free future. In: www.genfrei-iegen.de. Retrieved June 10, 2016 .
  10. ↑ Michael Schulze: Green electricity labeling - benefits and informative value of the various quality seals . GRIN Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-640-22364-0 , pp. 34 ( google.com [accessed June 10, 2016]).
  11. ^ Gene technology-free region (around) Ulm. In: www.genfrei-ulm.de. Retrieved June 10, 2016 .
  12. ↑ Annette Bruhns: McDonald's: Burger without a gene-free guarantee. In: SPIEGEL ONLINE. October 29, 2004, accessed June 10, 2016 .
  13. ↑ Margret Brüring: dairy farmers on promotional tour. In: WAZ. October 8, 2010, accessed June 10, 2016 .
  14. ↑ Susanne Beyer, Alexander Jung: Ethics change the economy . In: Der Spiegel . No. June 24 , 2007, pp. 149 ( spiegel.de [PDF; 155 kB ]).
  15. ↑ Peter Illetschko: "Our milk is morally impeccable". In: derStandard.at. April 16, 2010, accessed June 10, 2016 .
  16. ↑ Tilman Kluge: Genfrei, the way to linguistic impotence? In: www.politik-poker.de. February 7, 2006, accessed June 10, 2016 .
  17. ↑ Chris: Gene-Free - Problems of Science Communication. In: scienceblogs.de. January 14, 2009, accessed June 10, 2016 .
  18. ↑ Anja Lembens: How does an understanding of biotechnology and genetic engineering develop ?: an empirical study at 10 schools in the Rhine-Neckar triangle . LIT Verlag Münster, 2004, ISBN 978-3-8258-7568-8 , p. 258 ( google.de [accessed on June 10, 2016]).
  19. ^ Matthew Cooper, Genetically Modified Food: Cooking Light: My Gene-Free Thanksgiving . In: Time . November 29, 1999 ( time.com [accessed June 10, 2016]).
  20. ↑ "Without genetic engineering" does not mean what it says on August 10, 2010.
  21. ↑ a b Austria is not GMO-free - hardly known: Austrian animals are allowed to eat genetically modified feed. David Krutzler in Der Standard online, August 9, 2012
  22. ↑ Quality claims under private law: Examples of quality claims under private law in Austria are "GMO-free", "animal protection tested", "fair trade" or "good from the farm". BMLFUW: Food Safety & Quality → Food Quality, accessed January 6, 2015.
  23. ↑ Additional control mark: New control mark "Manufactured without genetic engineering" enables identical labeling throughout the German-speaking area. gentechnikfrei.at, undated (June 23, 2010)
  24. ↑ a b TTIP: GM-free production in Austria in danger? gentechnikfrei.at, undated (2005).
  25. ↑ ARGE Gentechnik-frei - Highlights & Development , accessed on August 3, 2017
  26. ↑ TTIP endangers the freedom of genetic engineering in Europe: ARGE Gentechnik-frei intensifies the call for uniform and non-negotiable GMO-free standards for the entire European area. gentechnikfrei.at, undated (March 28, 2014).
  27. ↑ Wolfgang Pirklhuber: Success: Austria remains GMO-free! gruene.at, Agriculture and Forestry , July 8, 2015.