Mandatory labelling of GE foods

Although 95 per cent of Canadians believe they have the right to know whether or not their food has been genetically engineered, there are no mandatory labelling regulations in place for GE food in Canada.

Canada does have a voluntary labelling scheme but, not surprisingly, no companies so far have chosen to label their GE food. Although approximately 70 per cent of processed foods in Canada contain GE ingredients it's up to individual consumers to read labels and make careful decisions in order to avoid GE.

Labelling around the world

More than two billion people worldwide are protected by existing or proposed mandatory labelling laws. In Australia, New Zealand, China, Indonesia, England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and over two dozen other countries, labelling is the law. Many countries have also imposed moratoriums or bans on all or some GE crops including members of the European Union, Brazil, Norway, Japan, India, Great Britain and Thailand.

Avoiding GE ingredients

Although there is no GE labelling in Canada, reading labels carefully can help you avoid the GE ingredients in processed foods. Most corn, soy, canola and cottonseed in Canada is genetically engineered. If you want to avoid GE ingredients, skip processed foods containing GE crops and their derivatives (such as corn syrup, for example).

For more detailed information, consult Greenpeace's guide, How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Food.