Brasília - The Ministry of Justice ordered the impounding of genetically modified products that don't carry this information on the label. Since April, 2003, all food products or ingredients intended for human or animal consumption that contain more than 1% of transgenic components are required to convey this information to consumers on the label.

Yesterday (25), Consumer Protection agencies from nine Brazilian states conducted an inspection of supermarkets and gathered samples of 45 different types of soybean-derived products. If they discover any product containing a greater percentage of transgenic components than what the law permits without this information's appearing on the label, the company can be required to answer an administrative process and is liable to a fine. The products that were collected will be tested in specialized laboratories in Brasília. The result should be available in 30 days.

"The idea is to analyze these 45 types of products in the initial phase and then verify other types of products, not for the companies to stop using them, but so that they label their products in order for consumers to be informed," affirmed Daniel Goldberg, Secretary of Economic Rights in the Ministry of Justice.

Agência Brasil
Translator: David Silberstein
08/26/2004