2014-06-03 | permalink

Africa: GMO contamination, detection, Non-GMO import

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) released a new report ‘GM Contamination, Cartels and Collusion in South Africa’s Bread Industry.’ The report shows that the white bread tested contains high levels of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) soya in the soya flour used in the bread and that most companies are unashamedly flouting GM labelling laws and undermining the consumer’s right to know. The nation consumes about 2.8 billion loaves of bread a year, handing over more than R28 billion of their hard-earned cash to a cartel comprising Tiger Brands, Premier Foods, Pioneer Foods and Foodcorp, that controls the wheat-to-bread value chain. Roughly a quarter of South Africans live below the bread line and price fluctuations in bread – our second most important staple food after maize – has hit the poor the hardest.

• Below the belt, below the breadline – South Africa’s inequitable and GM contaminated bread industry
• allAfrica.com: North Africa: Arab Countries Need Better GMO Detection Systems
• Coastweek: Kenya set to import 3 million bags of maize to boost stock
• South African Biosafety Clearing House
• Status of Crop Biotechnology in Africa