Food firms moving off GM products

By ANNE BESTON environment reporter

Genetically modified food may be slowly disappearing from New Zealand supermarket shelves, as more and more food manufacturers shun the technology.

Greenpeace's "true food" website guide says giant food companies, including Unilever, Goodman Fielder and Cerebos Greggs, are moving away from GM ingredients.

The three companies, which among them produce some of New Zealand's best-known brands, including Chicken Tonight sauces, Oxo cubes, Refresh and Raro drinks, Amco cooking oils and DYC vinegar, have moved from a "red" classification to an "amber" on the website.

Greenpeace classes companies in the "red" if their products might contain GM ingredients or if company policy supports genetic modification.

The "amber" category is for companies that are committed to being GM-free but are not yet sure their products do not contain GM ingredients.

The information on the website was supplied from the companies, said Greenpeace spokesman Ben Bond.

Mr Bond, who helps run the website, said the gradual change by food manufacturers was good news.

"It's a good result. It's nice to see companies moving away from GE but we won't be happy until the New Zealand food chain is GE-free altogether."

Companies that have moved from a red category to amber since the website was created include Unilever, Mainland, Goodman Fielder (which takes in the Quality Bakers brand), Allied Foods/George Weston, Pillsbury NZ, Frucor, Cerebos Greggs, Tip Top Ice Cream and Chateau Ice Cream.

Frucor manufactures the Just Juice range. Chateau Ice Cream includes the Movenpick range and Kilinchy Gold.

Five companies have moved from the amber category to the green, meaning they are now guaranteed GM-free.

Among them is Effem Foods, whose products include Dolmio pasta sauces and the Master Foods range.

Others to go "green" are the J R Simplot Company, based in Australia, which makes Leggo's pasta sauces, and Harraways Cereal Millers, which makes the Scotch Oats range.

Garry West, public affairs manager for Unilever based in Australia, said the company had carried out an audit of its products.

It had embarked on a programme to replace all genetically modified ingredients with non-GM alternatives.

"We are continuing the audit process and expect to have that completed by the end of the year," he said.

Goodman Fielder's corporate affairs director, Robert Hadler, said the company would not supply food products that contained genetically modified material.

Greenpeace said 227 companies were listed on the website, up from 89 six months ago.

However, some of the later additions to the website were organic food companies.

Greenpeace True Food

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