In light of the sales situation of imported genetically modified foods on the market, the City Consumers' Association yesterday released its fifth consumer alert for the year: given that the country has not yet implemented strict safety management and approval systems and that genetically modified technology is not yet mature, consumers should exercise caution when consuming GM foods.
Currently, a considerable number of products on the market, such as fruits, chocolate, and breakfast cereals, are directly imported from abroad. However, these products carry no labeling indicating whether they have been genetically modified. Therefore, consumers should clarify what these foods, which they will be consuming, actually are before making a purchase.
As research accelerates, domestically developed genetically modified foods will also become increasingly common. To prevent misleading consumers, the European Union implemented a labeling law as early as 1998, requiring food retailers to specify whether products contain genetically modified ingredients. France, for its part, explicitly requires imported agricultural products from the United States to be labeled as genetically modified crops. In this regard, the City Consumers' Association recommends that relevant departments should promptly introduce corresponding laws and regulations, mandating that manufacturers affix prominent GM labels to such products, thereby granting consumers the right to be informed and the right to choose.