Noting illegal import and sale of genetically modified (GM) food in India, a group of farm activists on Friday lodged their complaint with the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and demanded urgent action.
A group campaigning for a ’GM-free’ India has written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, asking it to crackdown on sale of all genetically modified food in Indian supermarkets and initiate prosecution against those violating the law.
The GM foods are not permitted to be sold under the Indian Food Safety and Standards Act.
In a letter to the Chief Executive Officer Pawan Kumar Agarwal and Chairman Ashish Bahuguna of the FSSAI, the Coalition for a GM-free India said that certain brands of imported packaged food are openly being sold.
The label on various products says ingredients could be genetically modified, in various stores in locations all over the country such as Bengaluru, Noida and Mumbai, it said.
Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) and FSSAI have not approved any of these products, said Kavitha Kuruganti, co-convenor of the Coalition for a GM-Free India, in her complaint to the FSSAI.
As mentioned by Union Health Minster in Parliament on December 29, various companies have been illegally importing and selling genetically modified soyabean and canola oil for human consumption, the group said.
“We request you to take strictest action to all those who are violating the law and ensure that un-approved products must be removed from the shelves immediately, whether in a packaged form or loose,” Kuruganti said.