The Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) of India has requested the government to exempt soyabean oil from ‘GM’ (genetically modified) labelling requirement.

In a memorandum to Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution and Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, the President of SEA, Atul Chaturvedi, said the Department Consumer Affairs (Weights and Measures Unit) under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, had issued letter dated June 11, 2021 to the Principal Secretaries of Legal Metrology of all States and Union Territories requesting them to enforce Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules with respect to ‘GM’ labelling of soyabean oil as a GM food.

Stating that soyabean oil itself is not a GM food, he said its origin -- that is soyabean (processed abroad) -- may be a GM food. “Once soyabean is crushed and its oil is refined, the oil does not have any traces of GM characteristics in refined soyabean oil. Further, only refined soyabean oil is sold for human consumption,” he said.

Quality Parameters

The quality parameters set by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) for the domestically produced (from non-GM soyabean) oil and imported soyabean oil (which could be derived from GM seeds) are the same. The industry and wholesale trade do not segregate the storage of soyabean oil obtained from domestic source and imported source.

He said most of the times crude soyabean oil from domestic source and imported source (which could be derived from GM seeds) are stored together in the same oil tank and hence, in one oil tank after refining.

Chaturvedi said the FSSAI has not notified the test methodology for determination of GM material in oils and vegetable fats, nor has FSSAI given the test method for GM in its Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods – Oils and Fats – Revised edition of June 22 2021, nor have any competent authority in the Government notified the test method for detection of GM material in oils and vegetable fats.

Added to this, in-house laboratories of vegetable oil manufacturing/refining plants and NABL-accredited laboratories do not have the facility to test for GM material in soyabean oil.

‘Segregated system not practical’

Stating that it is not practical for the industry to keep a segregated system for storage of domestic soyabean oil produced from non-GM soyabean seeds and imported soyabean oil produced from GM soyabean seeds, he said it amounts to large investment for separate storage tanks, pipelines, etc. In spite of that it still will not be a foolproof system.

He highlighted that the imposition of compulsory labelling of ‘GM’ on soyabean oil produced from GM soyabeans will lead to an artificial premium for soyabean oil produced from non-GM soyabeans leading to inflation. Though there is no difference between the soyabean oils of the two origins for the consumers, yet the trade may use the consumer sentiments to overcharge the consumers by some premium on soyabean oil derived from non-GM soyabean without any nutritional or health benefits.

The country is already facing a high price for edible oils. The imposition of ‘GM Food’ labelling on soyabean oil will disrupt the supply chain and will lead to increase in prices and inflation, he said.

The SEA President requested the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to review and advise the Legal Metrology Division to withdraw/rescind the order in the larger interest.

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