INPUT-OUTPUT NORMS NOTIFIED FOR 28 NEW EXPORT ITEMS - 

  The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT, India  has issued Public Notice No.53 dated 01/02/2001 notifying the Standard Input-Output Norms for 28 new export items. Of these 28 norms, 12 norms relate to the chemicals & allied products, 3 norms to electronic products, 10 norms to engineering products, 1 norm to food products, 2 norms to plastic products groups. Besides, amendments corrections in the existing norms for 46 export products have also been notified.

DR. NIGAM, CHAIRMAN AICTE PASSES AWAY

   Prof. N.C. Nigam, Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) passed away here today. He was 64. He was suffering for sometime. The Human Resource Development Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi visited his house to offer his condolences. In a message, Dr. Joshi said, in the death of Prof. Nigam, the country has lost an eminent educationist.    Dr. Nigam was appointed Chairman, AICTE last year. He was earlier Director, IIT (Delhi). He was also Vice Chancellor of Roorkee University.

SAM PITRODA TO HEAD RAILWAY MODERNISATION PANEL

   The Railway Ministry has set up a three-Member Advisory Committee under the Chairmanship of  Sam Pitroda to initiate a comprehensive process for modernisation of railway system and for launching a new initiative for resource mobilisation. The other Members of the Committee will be Shri Dinesh Trivedi, Ex-Member of Parliament and Chairman Railway Passenger Amenities Committee and Shri Shanti Narain, Member, Traffic Railway Board.

The Committee has been asked to suggest ways and means for initiating comprehensive modernisation of Indian Railways with the application of appropriate technologies; suggest areas for resource mobilisation in various facets of railway functioning; and suggest ways and means for development of railway assets for revenue generation. The Committee has been asked to submit its report within a period of six months.

EC-India Joint Meeting

The eleventh session of the India-EC Joint Commission Meeting got underway here today with the Commerce Secretary, Shri Prabir Sengupta, stating that the meeting was an opportunity for India and the European Commission (EC) to renew the bonds and commit themselves to an expanded bilateral cooperation. Shri Sengupta said that while the first India-EU Summit in Lisbon last year had heralded a new era of relations between India and EC, several high-level interactions following the summit had contributed to the deepening of bilateral understanding. He also recalled the recent visits of Mr. Chris Patten and Mr. Pascal Lamy which he said had enabled both sides to make positive movement in many areas leading to eventual resolution of some outstanding issues. While Shri Sengupta leads the Indian delegation that EC delegation is led by Mr. Guy Legras, Director General (External Relations). Shri Nripendra Misra, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce was also present along with other senior officials of the department.

    In his opening remarks, Mr. Legras said that such meetings would form the key input towards the second summit and enhancing investment and trade flows between India and EC should be a top priority. Mr. Legras underlined the importance of the need to continue and intensify India-EC partnership, bring the civil societies of the two sides closer together and develop untapped potential of the economic and commercial partnership between India and EC. Referring to textiles, Mr. Legras said that they were now looking forward to improving mutual market access in the area from 2006 onwards. On WTO, he said that there was a better understanding now. Expressing his concern over the earthquake in Gujarat, Mr. Legras said that he shared India's grief and EC would be extending active assistance in mitigating the suffering of the people of Gujarat.

ESIC PROVIDES MEDICAL SERVICES

    In the quake ravaged areas of Gujarat all the 11 Employees’ State Insurance Hospitals and 104 Dispensaries under the Ministry of Labour have been opened to the general public for taking in-patients and providing medical treatment. Out of 11 Hospitals, 7 are located in the earthquake-affected areas or nearby, and are, giving emergent relief and treatment to the affected persons. In addition, out of 104 dispensaries, approximately 68 are located in the earthquake affected areas and are providing first-aid treatment and primary care. None of the ESI hospitals and dispensaries have been seriously damaged.in the quack.

    About 110 doctors and other paramedical staff of the ESI Scheme are working from these hospitals/dispensaries to provide relief and treatment to the quake victims. At the 600-bedded hospital in Ahmedabad, an open camp has been established from 1.2.2001, keeping in view the large number of persons coming in for treatment.

    To augment the resources of the ESI Scheme in the State, a team of Doctors and other paramedical staff was air-lifted alongwith a portable X-ray Machine, lab facilities and medicines, drugs, surgicals and complete operation theatre equipment alongwith portable ventilator from Delhi. The Labour Minister Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya had flagged off a Mobile Hospital to Gujarat from here on 29.01.2001.

    A team alongwith other staff of the ESI Scheme in the State, has set up a temporary hospital alongwith OT facilities at Bachhau, which is a town of 30 thousand people and is completely destroyed. Doctors of ESIC are also visiting neighbouring villages to give treatment at site.

CHITTARANJAN LOCOMOTIVE  TO TAP  WORLD MARKET

    The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, an electric loco manufacturing unit under the Ministry of Railways is now drawing a long term plan to enter into the world market for exporting state-of-the-art electric locomotives.

    This has been possible as a result of ultra modern facilities recently created in the CLW for manufacturing of the state of art three phase drive electric locomotives of international quality. With this India has become second in Asia and the fifth in the world to manufacture such locomotives after France, Japan, Switzerland and Germany.

    The CLW’s plans have received considerable boost with the recent visits of the Turkish Transport Minister and a high level delegation from South Africa to its Plant. The two countries have shown keen interest for cooperating with the Indian to fulfil their locomotive power requirements.

    The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, which started its production on 26th January 1950, is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year. It has made significant contribution towards the upgradation of Indian Railways in the high speed traction and has saved considerable foreign exchange for the country since its inception.

PALACE ON WHEELS IN MAHARASHTRA

    A tourist luxury train from Mumbai covering Ajanta, Ellora, Goa and other heritage and tourist sites in Maharashtra and Konkan region is soon going to be a reality.   A Memorandum Of Understanding will be signed between the Indian Railways and the Government of Maharashtra tomorrow (Wednesday) for running a Palace on Wheel type train in Maharashtra. It will be the third train of its type after the ‘Palace on Wheels’ in Rajashtan and the ‘Royal Orient’ in Gujrat.

    The Railway Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Chhagan Bhujwal will be present among various other senior officials and dignitaries from the Ministry of Railways and the Maharashtra state.

 

 

 

 

FOURTH ROAD SHOW TO PROMOTE NELP-II HELD IN TOKYO

Kellogg's Shutdown US Cereal Plant due to lack of uncontaminated corn: Greenpeace

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS 'LABELLED' IN GREENPEACE SHOPPING LISt: Kelloggs  using GM Food

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 February 2001

 DEADLY MEDICINES ON THE INCREASE

30 Indian children died after taking contaminated cough syrup: WHO Report

 An outbreak involving more than 30 small children in India who died after  taking cough syrup contaminated with diethylene glycol is described in the  latest issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization by senior  health officials of the Indian government. Diethylene glycol is a highly  toxic solvent used in motor vehicle anti-freeze.

 An editorial in the journal warns of a dangerous rise in the number of  substandard medicines on the market, especially in developing countries.  It says that worldwide during the last 15 years, several hundred patients,  many of them children, have died from intoxication after using medicines  contaminated by diethylene glycol.   In the Indian outbreak, 36 children under 6 years of age were admitted to  two Delhi hospitals between April and June 1998 with symptoms of  unexplained acute renal failure. Despite peritoneal dialysis and  supportive treatment, 33 of the children died. Most were under two years  of age and the youngest was just two months old.

  Health officials began an immediate investigation, but initially failed to  establish the cause. It was only when they read an article in a medical  journal about a similar outbreak in Haiti in 1995, when 88 young people  died, that they began to consider contaminated medicine.

  Subsequent investigations, including analysis of medicines the children  had taken, pointed to a cough expectorant manufactured by a local  pharmaceutical company, as the culprit. The medicine was found to contain  17.5% diethylene glycol. How the contaminant got into the medicine is not  known.  In a similar outbreak in Bangladesh in 1990, manufacturers were suspected  of having replaced propylene glycol, used in making the drug's excipient,  with the cheaper, but potentially lethal diethylene glycol. More than 300  children were affected and 236 of them died.

  Describing the Delhi outbreak, the authors point out that India has  legislation to prevent the manufacture and marketing of contaminated  medicines. They add: "This contamination, as well as others previously  reported, indicate that there are major problems in enforcing  pharmaceutical legislation in developing countries.

 "Contamination of or substitution in medicines of diethylene glycol has  occurred in many countries, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria,  Haiti, and India, and it has resulted in the loss of over 500 lives.  "Problems related to the enforcement of pharmaceutical legislation must be  addressed to prevent the re-occurrence of such tragedies. "

 The report of the Delhi investigation was written by a team of 12 senior  health officials and medical experts led by Dr Jagvir Singh, joint  director of the Indian National Institute of Communicable Diseases.  The editorial in the Bulletin says: "Besides these dramatic outbreaks, a  more general and often underestimated danger is growing, especially in  developing countries: the rise in substandard medicines with concomitant  problems of toxicity, instability and ineffectiveness."

  It adds that although generic drugs - copies of original medicinal drugs  which are not protected by patent- are currently the only way of making  essential drugs financially accessible to most of the world's population,  in no case should their quality, effectiveness and safely be sacrificed.  "These three criteria are the cornerstone for health products, and they  have to be demonstrated and verified," the editorial says.

LEADING OIL AND GAS COMPANIES PARTICIPATE IN THE ROAD SHOW

   Ram Naik, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, India has expressed the hope that oil and gas companies in Japan would avail themselves of the highly attractive investment opportunities in India under the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP). Shri Naik is leading a high level Government delegation to promote the exploration blocks offered under the second round of NELP. He was addressing the media persons after the road show organized in Tokyo. The other members of the delegation of ‘Oil Mission’ included Shri Naresh Narad, Additional Secretary, Dr. Avinash Chandra, Director General of Hydrocarbons, Shri J.M. Mauskar, Joint Secretary (Exploration); Shri B. Bharali, Adviser(Exploration) and Dr. A.R. Sihag, Director(Exploration Contracts).

    Referring to the growing economic and trade relations between India and Japan, Shri Ram Naik said that Japan is now India’s third largest trading partner. The two countries have common interest in promoting trade relations for mutual benefit. There is an alignment of interest based on ideological, political and economic considerations. In the oil sector, one Japanese company, Marubeni has a profitable presence in India in the Ravva offshore field in the East Coast of India with a production rate of 50,000 barrels per day. Shri Naik further hoped that the Japanese companies will avail of the investment opportunity offered by India under NELP-II.

    Highlighting the highly attractive investment opportunities in exploration of oil and gas in India available in this round of NELP, Shri Naik said, "Not only are the fiscal and contract terms amongst the best in the world but the acreages available under NELP for the first time on west coast deep water areas of India and also in the oil rich states of Assam and Gujarat." He also mentioned that the first road show took place in New Delhi in India on January 10, the second one in London in U.K. on January 18-19 and the third one in Houston in USA on January 22-23 and that the response has all along been very encouraging. Underlining the needs of large and growing Indian market with over one billion population, he advised companies to bid for a share in the Indian market through the highly flexible framework of fiscal and contract terms under NELP-II ahead of the complete deregulation of the petroleum sector in India planned from April 2002.

    For allowing access to its large market for petroleum products after deregulation, India requires foreign companies to make an investment of 20 billion Indian Rupees, viz. about US $500 million, in exploration & production or infrastructure. Making a pitch for the mutually beneficial potential of the Japanese capital and technology coming together with the Indian market needs and the talents of its people, the Minister hoped that the recent discoveries of hydrocarbons by Cairn Energy, U.K. in the Cambay Offshore and by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), the National Oil Company, in the Krishna-Godavari deep waters are early tidings of a major change in perception of prospectivity of Indian basins.

    While 29 companies and organizations attended in London and 61 companies/organizations attended in Houston, many oil majors including Shell, BP-Amoco, British Gas, Marathon, Texaco and Petrobras had one-on-one discussions with Shri Naik. 15 companies/organizations attended the road show in Tokyo including important companies like Japan National Oil Corporation, Japan Petroleum exploration Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Petroleum Development Co. Ltd., Marubeni Corporation, Mitsui Oil Exploration Co. Ltd, Sodeco and Cosmo Oil Co. Ltd.

    Shri Naik and other members of the Oil Mission would have road show and discussions in Singapore on February 8-9. Thereafter, Shri Naik would proceed to Moscow where India’s ONGC Videsh Ltd. will sign an agreement with Russia’s Rosneft for acquisition of 20 per cent participating interest in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas fields. The global oil major Exxon-Mobil is the operator for these fields with 30 per cent interest and another 30 per cent interest is with Sodeco of Japan.

Piracy attacks rise to alarming new levels, ICC report reveals

London, 1 February 2001 - Pirate attacks rose last year by 57% compared with 1999 figures and were nearly four and half times higher when compared with 1991 according to a report by the ICC's International Maritime Bureau (IMB).In its annual Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships report for 2000, the IMB - a division of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - reports a total of 469 attacks on ships either at sea, at anchor or in port.

The violence used in the attacks also rose to new levels, with 72 seafarers killed and 99 injured in 2000, up from 3 killed and 24 injured the previous year. The number of hostages taken halved to 202 seafarers. Ships were boarded in 307 instances and a total of eight ships were hijacked.

IMB believes that a large number of attacks remain unreported and reports of more incidents relating to 2000 are expected in the coming months.The figures, compiled by the IMB for January to December 2000, show an alarming rise in piracy and armed robbery in Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Malacca Straits, India, Ecuador and the Red Sea.

Indonesia recorded the highest number of attacks, accounting for almost one quarter of the world total with 119 incidents. 86 ships were boarded, two ships were hijacked and attempted attacks were made on another 31 ships. It was also the location where the greatest violence was experienced, with many of the pirates armed with knives. The IMB says there are no signs that the number of attacks will drop unless Indonesia takes serious steps to address the problem.

Amongst other world hotspots, the Malacca Straits witnessed a dramatic rise in attacks, up to 75 from 2 in 1999, despite the efforts of the Royal Malaysian Police to step up patrols in the area to tackle the problem. Its special task force captured two groups of pirates, but there are still known to be several other groups attacking and robbing ships as they transit this busy waterway, where the threat of an ecological catastrophe cannot be ignored.

Third place in the 2000 table goes to Bangladesh, with 55 attacks, up from 25 attacks in 1999. The Bangladeshi authorities have since taken action of their own, which resulted in a drop in attacks during the latter part of the year. Other substantial rises were recorded in India (35, up from 14 in 1999), Ecuador (13, up from 2 in 1999), and 13 attempted boardings on ships in the southern part of the Red Sea, where previously there had been no pirate activity. One of the few areas to see a downturn in activity was the Singapore Straits (5 incidents, down from 14).

The annual report also draws attention to IMB's recent initiative to take the fight against piracy onto the Internet with weekly updates of attacks and warnings. The service, which has been well received in the shipping world, is compiled from daily status bulletins broadcast via satellite from the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Posting the information on the Internet means shipowners and land-based authorities are able to access the updates as well as ships at sea. 

The work of the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre is funded by 17 organizations, mostly P&I Clubs, ship owners and insurers. The Centre is now recognized throughout the maritime industry for its valuable contribution in quantifying the problem of world piracy and providing assistance, free of charge to ships that have been attacked.The IMB's Annual Report on piracy seeks not only to list the facts, but also to analyse developments in piracy and to identify piracy-prone areas so that the crew can take preventive action. Copies of the report, priced £18 inclusive of postage and further information can be obtained from:

CENTRAL EXCISE RULES AMENDED FOR DISPENSING WITH PRE-BUDGET DAY AND BUDGET DAY RESTRICTIONS

 New Delhi:   The Indian Government, in the process of simplification of Central Excise procedures, has taken another significant measure. The Ministry of Finance has issued a notification amending Central Excise rules in order to relax the restrictions relating to clearances/removals on pre-Budget day and Budget day. The physical control system was imposed from 6 P.M. of the day preceding the Budget day to 12 midnight of the Budget day in respect of all goods including those, which were under self-removal. Under this system, removals/clearances could be effected only after obtaining specific permission from the Commissioner and each clearance was supervised and documents were endorsed/countersigned by a Central Excise Officer. The Government has decided that the physical control should start only from the time the presentation of the Budget and will remain in force till 12.00 (midnight) of the Budget Day.

    It has also been decided to dispense with the system of declaring stock of goods as at 6.00 P.M. on the day preceding the Budget Day. Rule 223B of the Central Excise Rules, 1944, which provided for such declarations of stock, has been deleted.

    Detailed instructions have been issued specifying the procedure which has to be followed for clearances after the time appointed for presentation of Budget. This procedure is as follows: -The permission for removal of goods after 11.00 A.M. on Budget Day will be granted subject to the necessary condition that the assessee undertakes in writing to pay duty at enhanced rate, if any, that may be applicable to such goods with effect from 1st March, 2001 and that he shall comply with such conditions as the Commissioner may specify in this regard.

    The assessee who intends to remove goods after the appointed time (11.00 A.M.) on the Budget Day, will be required to make an application in the prescribed Form to the proper officer before 5.00 P.M. on 27.02.2001.

    A person can also file an application even with regard to those goods that may come into existence at any time after the appointed time (11.00A.M.) and the permission can be granted by the Commissioner in specified cases such as captive consumption under continuous process, clock-wise dispatches, pipeline removals of petroleum products, goods requited to maintain essential services, exports etc.

    The proper officer will supervise removals, countersign the invoice and make entries in the Daily Stock Account where an assessee pays duty on fortnightly basis or make entries in PLA/CENVAT Account of the assessee paying duty consignment-wise, on the Budget Day itself.

    Directions have also been issued by the Government to take appropriate measures to ensure that the procedures specified in para 2 above are strictly followed in respect of removals/clearances effected after the appointed time (11.00 A.M.) and to take action in case of any contravention.

1 February 2001

 POOR-QUALITY PESTICIDES  SOLD IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ALARMINGLY HIGH

 Around 30% of pesticides marketed in developing countries with an  estimated market value of US$300 million annually do not meet  internationally accepted quality standards. They are posing a serious   threat to human health and the environment, the UN Food and Agriculture   Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned in a  joint statement today.

 "These poor-quality pesticides frequently contain hazardous substances and  impurities that have already been banned or severely restricted  elsewhere," said Gero Vaagt, FAO Pesticide Management Group. Such  pesticides, he added, often contribute to the accumulation of obsolete  pesticide stocks in developing countries.  The global market value for pesticides is estimated at US$32 billion in  2000, with the share of developing countries around US$3 billion. In  developing countries, pesticides are mainly used for agriculture, but also  for public health, such as insecticides for controlling insects spreading  malaria.

 Possible causes of low quality of pesticides can include both poor  production and formulation and the inadequate selection of chemicals. "In  many pesticide products, for example, the active ingredient concentrations  are outside internationally accepted tolerance limits," said Dr David  Heymann, Executive Director of WHO's Communicable Disease activities. "In  addition, poor-quality pesticides may be contaminated with toxic  substances or impurities."

 When the quality of labelling and packaging is also taken into account,  the proportion of poor-quality pesticide products in developing countries  is even higher. "The labelling often written in improper language fails to  provide data on the active ingredient, application, date of manufacture  and safe handling of the chemical," the UN agencies said. For the  consumer, the label is often the only source of product information that  can guarantee a safe and effective use of the chemical. Falsely declared  products continue to find their way to markets for years without quality  control, WHO said.

 FAO and WHO said that that the problem of poor-quality pesticides is  particularly widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, where quality control is  generally weak.   The UN agencies urged governments, international and regional  organizations to adopt the world-wide accepted FAO/WHO pesticide  specifications to ensure the production and trade of good quality  products. Countries should make these voluntary standards legally binding.

 The FAO/WHO standards are especially important for developing countries  that lack the infrastructure for proper evaluation of pesticide products.  Pesticide industries, including producers of generic pesticides, should  submit their products for quality assessment to FAO/WHO.

 In a memorandum of understanding signed between FAO and WHO, the two  organizations have agreed to cooperate in a joint programme to develop  specifications for pesticides. This unified procedure would enhance the  development of high quality standards for pesticides, leading to improved  human and environmental safety as well as to more sustainable agriculture  production.

WORLD DRUG REPORT RELEASED

  New Delhi:  The 'Wold Drug Report-2000', brought out by the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP), Vienna was released by Smt. Asha Das, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, here today.

    The Report says that drug trafficking and trafficking routes have proliferated due to globalisation, with the number of countries reporting seizures rising from 120 in 1980-81 to 170 in 1997-98. It is estimated that about 180 million people accounting for about 4.2 per cent of people above 15 years were consuming drugs in the late 1990s. The Report brings out the broader implications of the drug problem including the spread of HIV/AIDS, money laundering/corruption and financing of insurgents and terrorists. The Reports also highlights the downward trend in production of the world's two main problem drugs, namely cocaine and heroin.

    Speaking on the occasion Smt. Asha Das lauded ODCCP for providing a panoramic view of the World Drug Scenario. Drug abuse was no more an individual nation's problem. She expressed concern that India has become a substantial consumer of drugs from being a transit country. However, she said, it is heartening to note that opium cultivation has significantly declined all over the world.

    Smt. Asha Das said that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is working towards building awareness and educating people about the ill effects of drug abuse, dealing with the addicts through a well rounded programme of motivation, counselling, treatment, follow-up and social reintegration of cured drug addicts, and capacity building through imparting drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation training to volunteers. The Ministry is supporting 462 centres of which 144 are Drug Awareness, Counselling and Assistance Centres and 318 are Treatment-cum-Rehabilitation Centres. The Ministry has a budget allocation of Rs.22.00 crore under the scheme for the year 2000-2001. The number of alcohol/ drug addicts registered in these Centres were 2.66 lakh in 1999-2000, of which about 1.13 lakh were detoxified. During the year 2000-2001 (upto September 2000), 1.69 lakhs addicts were registered and 0.66 lakh detoxified in these Centres, she added.


 

 

Kellogg's Shutdown US Cereal Plant due to lack of uncontaminated corn: Greenpeace

 GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS 'LABELLED' IN
GREENPEACE SHOPPING LISt: Kelloggs using GM Food

 

 

Recently Kellogg’s was forced to shut down production at one of its U.S. cereal plants, as the company could not find corn that is uncontaminated by StarLink corn. StarLink is the genetically engineered variety that has not been approved for human consumption, but has turned up in at least three supermarket food, says GreenPeace International, which is spearheading a campaign against the food multinational.

Though the corn is allowed for animal feed, on Friday Tyson Foods, the world’s largest poultry producer, said it had stopped buying StarLink even for its chicken farms. In just the past month, Kellogg’s has received over 28,000 phone calls and letter from Americans who are concerned about GE food. A poll commissioned last year by Greenpeace found that only 30% of Americans think that Kellogg’s would use GE food. But Kellogg’s letters to American consumers acknowledges that its products are "likely [to] include biotechnology-produced grain."

"If Tyson can stop feeding altered grain to chickens, then Kellogg’s can stop feeding it to our children! Email and fax telling them to stop using genetically engineered ingredients in our food!" GreenPeace urges consumers all over the world.

 Earlier Reports:

 GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS 'LABELLED' IN
GREENPEACE SHOPPING LIST

New guide allows consumers to avoid name-brand products containing GE foods.

WASHINGTON, October 4, 2000 — In response to the Food and Drug Administration's failure to require labelling for genetically engineered (GE) food, Greenpeace today released the True Food Shopping List, a detailed list of thousands of products made with ingredients from genetically altered corn, soy, canola, and other crops. The international environmental organisation contacted dozens of food companies to determine whether or not they have taken action to eliminate genetically engineered ingredients from their products.

"Consumers should not be used as guinea pigs by companies who continue to sell genetically contaminated food," said Jeanne Merrill, Greenpeace True Food Network coordinator. "Since the FDA refuses to protect consumers and the environment, Greenpeace created the Shopping List. The Shopping List gives consumers who want to avoid genetically engineered foods a fighting chance."

Organised like supermarket aisles, the True Food Shopping List covers dozens of foods in each of 20 categories, including baby food, cereal, frozen foods, snacks and soups. The "Red" list shows genetically engineered foods, such as Kellogg's Corn Flakes. The "Green" list shows alternatives made by companies that have eliminated genetically engineered ingredients. The "Yellow" transitional list includes products made by companies that are working to eliminate genetically engineered ingredients.

Recently, store-bought Taco Bell taco shells tested positive for a variety of genetically engineered corn, called StarLink, that is not approved for human consumption. Kraft, which produces the supermarket brand shells, voluntarily recalled the tainted product.

Aventis, the biotech company that makes the GE corn found in the taco shells, said it would stop selling the seed. The Agriculture Department said on Friday that it would broker the entire remaining StarLink crop for Aventis, to insure that it is only sold for feed. On Monday, FDA finally announced an official recall notice for the Kraft Taco Bell taco shells, and said that it would begin testing other corn products for contamination. The agency acknowledged that the engineered corn could cause "temporary adverse health effects."

"Clearly, Americans can't trust the biotech industry to keep its genetic experiments out of our shopping carts," said Charles Margulis, Greenpeace genetic engineering specialist. "While food companies have eliminated genetically engineered ingredients in Europe, the Shopping List is the only way American consumers can avoid GE-contaminated food." Kellogg's and other food giants have already stopped using genetically engineered food in Europe, but these companies continue to use the experimental crops here. In Japan, Australia, Russia and throughout Europe, genetically engineered food must be labelled. Many companies have announced that their products in these countries will exclude genetically engineered ingredients. But in the U.S., the FDA has sided with the biotech industry in opposing mandatory labelling. Instead, FDA says that standards for "voluntary" labelling of GE or non-GE foods will soon be announced.

Greenpeace Kicks Off Nationwide Supermarket Tours Against Kellogg's

The international environmental organisation Greenpeace launched a nationwide public awareness campaign in San Diego targeting Kellogg's and other food companies who produce genetically engineered foods.In Europe, similar efforts by Greenpeace and other consumer groups have resulted in most major supermarkets and food producers removing the dangerous products from sale because they pose risks to both the environment and human health.

In Ralph's Supermarket, Greenpeace campaigners along with local activists combed through the aisles alerting shoppers to which products contain genetically engineered ingredients and which do not. The tour highlighted many Kellogg's products contaminated with genetically engineered ingredients, including Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies and Frosted Flakes.

Un known to most Americans, at least sixty percent of the processed food we eat contains genetically engineered ingredients, most often corn, soya or canola. The biotechnology industry is also moving quickly to introduce genetically engineered fruits and vegetables; papaya, squash, tomatoes and potatoes are among the genetically engineered produce already on the market. In San Diego, Kent Sea Farms are developing genetically engineered fish with a grant from the U.S. government.

"With no testing or little consultation, the biotechnology industry hopes to sneak these products onto supermarket shelves," said Greenpeace campaigner Jim Thomas from the United Kingdom who led this morning's tour. "Once the American public realises what's happening through tours like this one, we can get these dangerous products off the shelves as we have done in Europe."

Further supermarket tours are planned throughout the state this summer and nation-wide later this year. During the next few months Greenpeace will replicate the work it has done in Europe by building a "True Food Network" made up of thousands of members of the public all working together against genetically engineered foods.

"The good news is that American consumers can make a difference and get genetically engineered foods off retail shelves," says Greenpeace USA campaigner Charles Margulis. "Consumer pressure has worked in Europe and it will work the same way in the United States. It is unacceptable that multinational food producers do not give Americans the same protection they give European consumers.

27 October 2000