Ireland not fully adhering to EU regulations on GMO foods analysis

Officials from the European Commission’s directorate-general for health and food safety reported on a visit to the Public Analyst’s Laboratory (PAL) in St Finbarr’s Hospital.

The PAL collaborates with the UK’s Food and Environment Research Agency to analyse GMOs used in Irish food, feed and seed.

However, an audit found that the level of co-operation between the two centres was not fully compliant with EU regulation.

EU officials also said the Cork laboratory, while fulfilling international requirements, had a “very limited” analysis capability and its layout risked the possibility of cross-contamination.

The facility can only conduct six out of 15 tests on GMO maize and one out of 15 tests on GMO soya bean.

The EU inspectors’ report warns: “Shortcomings in analytical procedures for testing of rice products imported from China might lead to unidentified GM rice being imported and placed on the market.”

However, EU inspectors said they were overall satisfied with the control system and the allocation of resources.

The officials concluded: “Inspections are carried out by trained and technically competent staff generally using appropriate methods.”