Kazakhstan bans import of NK603 GMO corn

    Kazakhstan has banned the import of NK603 genetically modified corn. The decree was signed by Kazakhstan’s Chief Sanitary Doctor Zhandarbek Bekshin, Tengrinews.kz reports citing a news statement from the Health Ministry.
    “Connected to reports on the negative effects on of NK603 genetically modified corn on the health of rats, on October 19 Kazakhstan’s Chief Sanitary Doctor Zhandarbek Bekshin has signed a decree banning the import, production, use and sale of genetically modified corn resistant to the Roundup herbicide in Kazakhstan. The Import of this corn was banned in Russia in September. According to the ministry, the State Sanitary-Epidemiological Control Commission held several tests for excessive GMO content in imported goods to ensure observance of standards for the import, transportation, production and use of GMO in Kazakhstan”.
    “In 2012, Kazakhstan’s sanitary-epidemiological laboratories tested over 1,939 food samples from 27 countries for GMO content ... 41.2 percent of the samples were taken in Kazakhstan. GMOs were discovered in 6 of the tested samples, including in Bonduelle sweet corn from Russia and Corrado sweet corn grown in Hungary. These had GMO content of over 0.9 percent. According to standards, foods with GMO content of over 0.9 percent are subject to compulsory labeling, while these goods carried no labels of GMO content on their packages,” the news statement said.
    Besides, GMO content within the allowed limits of up to 0.9 percent were discovered in four samples: Globus sweet corn from Russia, Ecos vacuum corn (China), Fa-Fa muffin (Iran) and cooked Zvezda Obshepita sausage (Russia). All these test results were certified by the State Food Safety Reference-Laboratory of the State Sanitary-Epidemiological Control Commission, www.tengrinews.kz said.