The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said on Friday that it is investigating allegations that food products of two foreign firms contain genetically-modified (GM) ingredients.

 

"We will find out whether the two firms have used GM ingredients that are not approved by the ministry in their food products, and will deal with the issue based on the results," said Zou Ping, deputy director of the GM security office with the MOA.

 

Greenpeace said on Thursday that GM ingredients were detected in four snacks made by Japan's Ezaki Glico Co. and one by Germany's Metro Group, according to tests on 21 products sampled in supermarkets in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

 

GM agricultural products must obtain a license from the MOA and have identification labels on their packages before they can be sold on the Chinese market, according to Zou.

 

Yet, there are no laws to restrict GM ingredients in biscuits, cookies and other snacks at present in China, as noted by Greenpeace.

 

Greenpeace accused the Japanese confectioner and the German retail giant of "double standards" in supplying Chinese consumers with food containing genetically-modified ingredients, while both have promised to stop using GM ingredients in the products sold in their own countries.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2007)