ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - The Health and Social Welfare Ministry said in a press release on Friday the publication of Osijek-Baranja County Public Health Institute data on the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in a
number of food produts on the market had been rushed and that there was no danger to consumers' health.
ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - The Health and Social Welfare Ministry said in
a press release on Friday the publication of Osijek-Baranja County
Public Health Institute data on the presence of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) in a number of food produts on the market had been
rushed and that there was no danger to consumers' health.#L#
The head of the Osijek-based Institute, Josip Milas, has gone public
with said data without additional check-ups or consultations with the
health ministry and experts of the Croatian Public Health Institute,
which coordinates and supervises the work of county public health
institutes, the press release said.
It added that early next week the health ministry would consult all
relevant experts and institutions and decide whether to take measures,
keeping the public informed on a regular basis.
All imported food is checked for GMO presence since November last year
at a Croatian Public Health Institute laboratory in Zagreb, which was
set up by the health ministry, with the support of the ministries of
agriculture and environmental protection, for the purpose of checking,
examining and monitoring GMOs in food products, raw materials, cattle
food, and seeds.
The City of Zagreb Health Inspection has taken samples on the local
market of 12 products which were analysed at the Osijek-Baranja County
Public Health Institute. The resultant analysis has indicated the
presence of GMOs in four products, but only in traces, namely less
than one percent. One sample, suspected of containing in excess of one
percent of GMOs, will be analysed further in a European Union
laboratory.
(Hina) ha sb