AUSTRALIA: GM foods could bypass labelling laws

New labelling laws due to come into force in Australia next year, genetically modified foods could legally be sold without labels indicating the GM content. This is due to a loophole that stipulates that foods which do not already carry a produce label will not be required by law to carry a specific GM label. Conversely, foods that do already bear a label must be rebranded to alert consumers to the GM ingredients contained within.A spokesman for the Australia New Zealand Food Authority commented: "It's just the way labelling rules operate." Fresh produce rarely carries labels, and even packaged foods are likely to avoid the labelling requirement if they are sold in basic packaging without proper labels.In Europe, consumer associations would likely prompt an outcry if such a legal loophole were to be revealed. In Australia, consumers are not so highly sensitised to GM issues - time will tell whether public reaction will force the Government to change the law.