Please join us for snacks and a conversation with Prof. Chris Viljoen from the GMO Testing Facility of the University of the Free State. The event will take place at the Cape Town Medi Spa in Kloof Street on Wednesday 28th at 6.00 for 6.30. Tickets are R75,00 and seating is very limited so please book early.

This is your opportunity to interact with REAL, INDEPENDENT and most important, a non-industry-paid scientist.

The actual AGM itself will take place on Thursday 29th at 49 Arnold Street Observatory at 9.30 am. Once again your attendance is welcome and your rsvp is essential.

The Titile of the Talk on 28th will be: Genetically Modified Crops: What do we absolutely know about them? Labelling, safety, hunger relief and other myths.

Abstract:
There’s been a lot of advertising exposure lately about the safety of GM Crops. But what do we absolutely know about them? Are they safe for human consumption? Can they reduce poverty or hunger? Are they safe for the environment? Can they alleviate nutritional deficiencies? Will they solve problems or create them? While we debate these questions, the reality is that South Africa is one of eight countries growing 99% of the GM crops in the world. In 2006 it was estimated that 44% of white maize, 50% of yellow maize, 75% of soybean and 100% of cotton produced in South Africa was GM. Despite this, most South Africans are not aware that they are consuming GM food. There is currently no requirement to label GM food in South Africa. In response to perceived consumer preference for non-GM food, some companies in South Africa have introduced voluntary “organic”, “non-GM” or “GMO free” labelling. Unfortunately with no guidelines, the application of non-GM labelling is haphazard. In a study recently performed by the GMO Testing Facility at the University of the Free State, it was found that the most predominant label used on food products in South Africa is “GMO free”. Ironically, 53% of these products contain GM. While none of the maize products labelled to indicate the absence of GM were found to contain GM, 60% of “organic”, “GMO free” or “non-GM” labelled soybean products contained GM. This suggests that the use of labels to indicate the absence of GM cannot be trusted and that without specific guidelines, consumers in South Africa are not getting what they think they are buying. What can you do as a consumer?

Prof. CD Viljoen is an associate Professor in the Dept. Haematology and Cell Biology at the University of the Free State. He has published 30 articles in peer reviewed journals and presented or co-authored 52 conference contributions. He currently serves on the following committees: the Liaison Group on Capacity-Building for Biosafety for the Convention on Biological Diversity (United Nations Environmental Program); the SABS committee for the identity preservation of non-genetically modified food; and the Advisory Sub-Committee for the GMO Act 1997. Prof. Viljoen is founder and manager of the GMO Testing Facility at the University of the Free State, which is part of an international network of GeneScan agri-food laboratories throughout the world.