![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/clover-logo-framed-2-220x300.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nConsumers wanted to know whether the brand\u2019s GMO-free claims were true and their regular unsweetened soy milk was selected for analysis as its ingredients list includes 7% ground whole soybeans. Soybeans as well as maize, cotton and canola have approval for commercial production with genetically modified varieties in South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the fourth consumer-nominated investigation by TOPIC SA into GMO-free label claims on various products found on South African shelves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is a GMO?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/gmo-pic-300x279.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGenetically modified organisms or GMOs are plants, animals or microorganisms in which the genetic material or DNA has been altered in a laboratory using genetic engineering techniques or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. Engineered GMO crops such as soya have specific traits such as resistance to herbicides and\/or pests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
GMOs found in food are hotly debated as to their health and environmental risks and labelling of GMO food remains contentious. There has been pressure from consumer organisations in South Africa for the labelling of GMOs in food so that the consumer has the choice to avoid GMO products but regulation and enforcement is still weak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soya beans are a massive GMO crop both globally and in South Africa <\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/soy-bean-framed-300x300.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRoundup Ready GMO soybeans were introduced to South Africa in 2001 and globally account for 80% of the global market and 95% of the South African market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roundup Ready Soybeans are genetically engineered soybeans that have had their DNA altered to allow them to withstand the herbicide glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup). They are also known as “glyphosate tolerant” soybeans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide and the most widely used chemical herbicide in history. Glyphosate has been declared a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization\u2019s International Agency for Research on Cancer, a contention that is currently the subject of several international lawsuits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engaging with Clover <\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/gmo-free-framed.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOur investigation into Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk started on 23 March 2023 when we sent our letter via email to Clover\u2019s Head Office and Customer Care Department. We also tagged Clover on Facebook and Twitter. The letter, addressed to Clover SA CEO Johann Vorster, asked if it would be possible to provide us with copies of any documentation confirming the GMO-free claims of their Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With no initial reply, we proceeded to email and call their Head Office and customer care lines. Finally on 13 April, TOPIC received a phone call followed up by an email from Whitney Maanda, Clover\u2019s Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Food Law, who promised us feedback. After prompting, on 23 May Maanda sent us Clover\u2019s GMO statement and said the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake note that the Quality department ensured that the suppliers provide Clover with non-GMO ingredients and that is checked by the team. Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the suppliers\u2019 details.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clover-GMO-statement-framed-1024x346.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nClover responded to the delays in their initial responses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhilst we acknowledge that some time lapsed from your initial query sent on 23 March until when you received a response on 13 April 2023, we are quite a large organisation and sometimes we do suffer the misfortune of the odd miscommunication and\/or delay thereof and we’re not always in a position to answer everything as swiftly as what we would like to however do aim to do so and improve where can.
“We do apologise for the delay and thank you for providing us with this additional time to give feedback and would like to assure you that every reasonable effort will be made to respond in a reasonable time period to queries such as this should we receive same again, taking into account the various stakeholders that we would need to engage with before being in a position to respond in a timeous manner.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nTOPIC SA sends product to the lab<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/good_hope_soy-reg_unsweetened-1L-2022-227x300.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIn May, the TOPIC SA team randomly purchased a Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product and couriered it to the GMO Testing Facility at the University of the Free State. We requested the most comprehensive test available for the presence of GMOs in soya, a triple screen test for the presence of three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops: 35S, NOS and FMV. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In June, we received the test results from the facility which showed that none of the three genetic elements were found in the sample. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GMO-test-results-screenshot-framed-1024x665.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGMOs were not detected in the sample of Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe labelling of GMOs in SA: what do the experts say? <\/strong>
Like other countries, South Africa has come under public pressure to introduce mandatory labelling for genetically modified foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/FACTS-WEB-1-300x59.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAccording to Food & Allergy Consulting & Testing Services (FACTS SA), a multidisciplinary team of dietitians and food scientists who consult to the food industry on labelling legislation and testing of food products:
\u201cThere are a number of regulations in South Africa that deal with genetically modified organisms in different ways. The Department of Health regulates labelling that would be required if a GM product is significantly different in certain ways than its non-GM counterpart (under R.25). Currently there are no products sold in SA that require such labelling.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n“The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, under the established Executive Council, regulates and approves which crops may be genetically modified and sold in South Africa.\u00a0The Consumer Protection Act provides regulations for GM free claims.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAccording to labelling consultant, Glyn Fogell:
\u201cThe current food labelling regulations, R146\/2010, are silent about labelling of foodstuffs containing GM ingredients. The Consumer Protection Act Section 24 (6) says the following: \u201cAny person who produces, supplies, imports or packages any prescribed goods must display on, or in association with the packaging of those goods, a notice in the prescribed manner and form that discloses the presence of any genetically modified ingredients or components of those goods in accordance with applicable regulations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nFACTS added:
\u201cRegulation 7 (Product labelling and trade descriptions: genetically modified organisms) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) states that only maize, soya, cotton and canola are approved for commercialisation by the Executive Council for Genetically Modified Organisms.
“This means that the commercialisation of other GM crops for use and sale to be consumed by humans or animals in SA is prohibited. Therefore, a GMO free claim should only be used on products which GM is approved in SA, as it could be misleading to the consumer to see such a claim on a product when in fact any product made from that crop would be GMO free.
“According to the CPA sub regulations, the requirement for making the claim \u2018Does not contain GMO\u2019 or \u2018GMO free\u2019 is that the product must be tested and found to contain less than 1% GMOs.
The lab results on the Clover sample showed GM \u2018not detected\u2019; therefore the product complies with the CPA requirement for a GMO free claim.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/DALRRD-website-framed.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStatement on Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFogell continues:
\u201cIn this instance, Clover should provide to anyone authorised by the Department the appropriate analytical results supporting their claim. A private person may also request proof; if the manufacturer refuses to divulge the information, an application may be made under PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act (Act 2 of 2000)). They are not obliged to reveal their supplier of raw materials, just the analysis done as part of their quality control process to ensure ongoing validity of their product claim.\u201d<\/em>
It is clear, from our several investigations into the GMO labelling issue in South Africa, that some producers and retailers apply the CPA rules, while others seem to not label GMO ingredients at all. The exception is in the health market where labelling a product GMO-free is a selling point for health and environment-conscious consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nComments from retailers <\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ftn-1-300x50.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFaithful to Nature CEO, Paul Cook, said the following:
\u201cFaithful to Nature has a very strict product listing policy \u2013 we do not sell GMO products or products derived from GMO products, due to their potential negative impact on the environment. GMO plants may affect biodiversity, and there are also concerns around GMOs and the use of pesticides \u2013 while GMO plants may help reduce pesticide use in some cases, they also increase pesticide use in other cases.
Given the environmental impact of GMOs, it\u2019s good to see other businesses also excluding GMOs from their products, and doing the necessary due diligence and checks to ensure that their ingredients are truly non-GMO.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/WW-logo-300x176.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWellness Warehouse said the following:
\u201cAt Wellness Warehouse, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality natural and organic products, which is why we strictly adhere to a GMO-free policy. We do not allow genetically modified organisms in our products and always request full transparency and verification from our suppliers to ensure our offerings meet our rigorous standards.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/OZ-logo-full-white-300x115.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOrganic Zone\u2019s owner, Allister McGregor, said:
\u201cWe offer a wide range of GMO-free food products and our ingredients policy is to avoid stocking any product with GMO in it. We are appreciative of the role that TOPIC SA plays in verifying label claims and ensuring that consumers can trust what is on the shelf.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nClover responds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
On 22 September, Clover responded to our findings:
\u201cClover stated at the outset when we did engage with TOPIC that this product was GMO free thus we’re very proud to live up to this claim made to consumers. TOPIC has also corroborated this claim by independently confirming that our Soy Milk is GMO free.
Additionally, Clover performs traceability to ensure the non-GMO status through the supply chain and the tests done prove our initial statement was true i.e. the Clover Good Hope Soy Milk is GMO-free.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn conclusion…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/gmo-free-3-220x300.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nConsumers wanted to know if Clover\u2019s Good Hope soy products were really GMO free as their labels claim. The laboratory test results from the randomly purchased product showed that the three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops – 35S, NOS and FMV – were not detected and therefore the product tested was free from GMOs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Various independent labelling experts agreed that Clover\u2019s product fully complies with the Consumer Protection Act which stipulates that less than 1% GMOs must be present for a product to be labelled GMO free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The TOPIC SA team is happy to verify for South African consumers yet again that a label claim on a product on our shelves can be trusted, and it has been positive to receive a good response from Clover in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
——————————————————————————————————————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanks for being our partners in the pursuit of label accuracy in South Africa and consumer safety. TOPIC works with retailers and producers who are committed to transparency and is supported by Faithful to Nature<\/a>, Wellness Warehouse<\/a>, UCOOK<\/a>, Organic Zone<\/a>, Jackson\u2019s Real Food Market<\/a> and Bryanston Organic & Natural Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe have completed numerous successful investigations so far, including GUDGU<\/a>, Pick n Pay free range eggs<\/a>, Sing Fefur teas<\/a>, Naturally Organic<\/a>, Elgin Free Range Chickens<\/a>, Superfoods<\/a>, <\/strong>Nature\u2019s Choice GMO-free claims,<\/a>Woolworth\u2019s organic vegetables<\/a>, Cape Town Market<\/a>, Mrs BreadCare<\/a>, Wakaberry<\/a>, Le Chocolatier<\/a>, Freedom Bakery<\/a>, Frys<\/a> and Futurelife<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nConsumers are encouraged to nominate products for investigation via our online form: https:\/\/buff.ly\/2PCSBK8 <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nFollow us on Facebook<\/a> or Twitter<\/a> or contact the TOPIC SA<\/a> team via email.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TOPIC (Testing of Products Initiated by Consumers) is a consumer-led organisation funded by consumers and retailers who are committed to transparency. We use laboratory testing, farm and factory visits and other means as necessary to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1494,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[21,7,70,9,42,11,12],"class_list":["post-1465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-gmo-label-claim","tag-accurate-labels","tag-gmo","tag-gmofree","tag-labelling-laws","tag-regulations","tag-south-africa","tag-transparency"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1465"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1510,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions\/1510"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGenetically modified organisms or GMOs are plants, animals or microorganisms in which the genetic material or DNA has been altered in a laboratory using genetic engineering techniques or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. Engineered GMO crops such as soya have specific traits such as resistance to herbicides and\/or pests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
GMOs found in food are hotly debated as to their health and environmental risks and labelling of GMO food remains contentious. There has been pressure from consumer organisations in South Africa for the labelling of GMOs in food so that the consumer has the choice to avoid GMO products but regulation and enforcement is still weak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soya beans are a massive GMO crop both globally and in South Africa <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRoundup Ready GMO soybeans were introduced to South Africa in 2001 and globally account for 80% of the global market and 95% of the South African market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roundup Ready Soybeans are genetically engineered soybeans that have had their DNA altered to allow them to withstand the herbicide glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup). They are also known as “glyphosate tolerant” soybeans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide and the most widely used chemical herbicide in history. Glyphosate has been declared a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization\u2019s International Agency for Research on Cancer, a contention that is currently the subject of several international lawsuits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engaging with Clover <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOur investigation into Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk started on 23 March 2023 when we sent our letter via email to Clover\u2019s Head Office and Customer Care Department. We also tagged Clover on Facebook and Twitter. The letter, addressed to Clover SA CEO Johann Vorster, asked if it would be possible to provide us with copies of any documentation confirming the GMO-free claims of their Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With no initial reply, we proceeded to email and call their Head Office and customer care lines. Finally on 13 April, TOPIC received a phone call followed up by an email from Whitney Maanda, Clover\u2019s Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Food Law, who promised us feedback. After prompting, on 23 May Maanda sent us Clover\u2019s GMO statement and said the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake note that the Quality department ensured that the suppliers provide Clover with non-GMO ingredients and that is checked by the team. Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the suppliers\u2019 details.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nClover responded to the delays in their initial responses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhilst we acknowledge that some time lapsed from your initial query sent on 23 March until when you received a response on 13 April 2023, we are quite a large organisation and sometimes we do suffer the misfortune of the odd miscommunication and\/or delay thereof and we’re not always in a position to answer everything as swiftly as what we would like to however do aim to do so and improve where can.
“We do apologise for the delay and thank you for providing us with this additional time to give feedback and would like to assure you that every reasonable effort will be made to respond in a reasonable time period to queries such as this should we receive same again, taking into account the various stakeholders that we would need to engage with before being in a position to respond in a timeous manner.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nTOPIC SA sends product to the lab<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIn May, the TOPIC SA team randomly purchased a Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product and couriered it to the GMO Testing Facility at the University of the Free State. We requested the most comprehensive test available for the presence of GMOs in soya, a triple screen test for the presence of three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops: 35S, NOS and FMV. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In June, we received the test results from the facility which showed that none of the three genetic elements were found in the sample. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGMOs were not detected in the sample of Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe labelling of GMOs in SA: what do the experts say? <\/strong>
Like other countries, South Africa has come under public pressure to introduce mandatory labelling for genetically modified foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAccording to Food & Allergy Consulting & Testing Services (FACTS SA), a multidisciplinary team of dietitians and food scientists who consult to the food industry on labelling legislation and testing of food products:
\u201cThere are a number of regulations in South Africa that deal with genetically modified organisms in different ways. The Department of Health regulates labelling that would be required if a GM product is significantly different in certain ways than its non-GM counterpart (under R.25). Currently there are no products sold in SA that require such labelling.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n“The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, under the established Executive Council, regulates and approves which crops may be genetically modified and sold in South Africa.\u00a0The Consumer Protection Act provides regulations for GM free claims.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAccording to labelling consultant, Glyn Fogell:
\u201cThe current food labelling regulations, R146\/2010, are silent about labelling of foodstuffs containing GM ingredients. The Consumer Protection Act Section 24 (6) says the following: \u201cAny person who produces, supplies, imports or packages any prescribed goods must display on, or in association with the packaging of those goods, a notice in the prescribed manner and form that discloses the presence of any genetically modified ingredients or components of those goods in accordance with applicable regulations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nFACTS added:
\u201cRegulation 7 (Product labelling and trade descriptions: genetically modified organisms) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) states that only maize, soya, cotton and canola are approved for commercialisation by the Executive Council for Genetically Modified Organisms.
“This means that the commercialisation of other GM crops for use and sale to be consumed by humans or animals in SA is prohibited. Therefore, a GMO free claim should only be used on products which GM is approved in SA, as it could be misleading to the consumer to see such a claim on a product when in fact any product made from that crop would be GMO free.
“According to the CPA sub regulations, the requirement for making the claim \u2018Does not contain GMO\u2019 or \u2018GMO free\u2019 is that the product must be tested and found to contain less than 1% GMOs.
The lab results on the Clover sample showed GM \u2018not detected\u2019; therefore the product complies with the CPA requirement for a GMO free claim.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStatement on Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFogell continues:
\u201cIn this instance, Clover should provide to anyone authorised by the Department the appropriate analytical results supporting their claim. A private person may also request proof; if the manufacturer refuses to divulge the information, an application may be made under PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act (Act 2 of 2000)). They are not obliged to reveal their supplier of raw materials, just the analysis done as part of their quality control process to ensure ongoing validity of their product claim.\u201d<\/em>
It is clear, from our several investigations into the GMO labelling issue in South Africa, that some producers and retailers apply the CPA rules, while others seem to not label GMO ingredients at all. The exception is in the health market where labelling a product GMO-free is a selling point for health and environment-conscious consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nComments from retailers <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFaithful to Nature CEO, Paul Cook, said the following:
\u201cFaithful to Nature has a very strict product listing policy \u2013 we do not sell GMO products or products derived from GMO products, due to their potential negative impact on the environment. GMO plants may affect biodiversity, and there are also concerns around GMOs and the use of pesticides \u2013 while GMO plants may help reduce pesticide use in some cases, they also increase pesticide use in other cases.
Given the environmental impact of GMOs, it\u2019s good to see other businesses also excluding GMOs from their products, and doing the necessary due diligence and checks to ensure that their ingredients are truly non-GMO.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWellness Warehouse said the following:
\u201cAt Wellness Warehouse, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality natural and organic products, which is why we strictly adhere to a GMO-free policy. We do not allow genetically modified organisms in our products and always request full transparency and verification from our suppliers to ensure our offerings meet our rigorous standards.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOrganic Zone\u2019s owner, Allister McGregor, said:
\u201cWe offer a wide range of GMO-free food products and our ingredients policy is to avoid stocking any product with GMO in it. We are appreciative of the role that TOPIC SA plays in verifying label claims and ensuring that consumers can trust what is on the shelf.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nClover responds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
On 22 September, Clover responded to our findings:
\u201cClover stated at the outset when we did engage with TOPIC that this product was GMO free thus we’re very proud to live up to this claim made to consumers. TOPIC has also corroborated this claim by independently confirming that our Soy Milk is GMO free.
Additionally, Clover performs traceability to ensure the non-GMO status through the supply chain and the tests done prove our initial statement was true i.e. the Clover Good Hope Soy Milk is GMO-free.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn conclusion…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nConsumers wanted to know if Clover\u2019s Good Hope soy products were really GMO free as their labels claim. The laboratory test results from the randomly purchased product showed that the three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops – 35S, NOS and FMV – were not detected and therefore the product tested was free from GMOs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Various independent labelling experts agreed that Clover\u2019s product fully complies with the Consumer Protection Act which stipulates that less than 1% GMOs must be present for a product to be labelled GMO free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The TOPIC SA team is happy to verify for South African consumers yet again that a label claim on a product on our shelves can be trusted, and it has been positive to receive a good response from Clover in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
——————————————————————————————————————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanks for being our partners in the pursuit of label accuracy in South Africa and consumer safety. TOPIC works with retailers and producers who are committed to transparency and is supported by Faithful to Nature<\/a>, Wellness Warehouse<\/a>, UCOOK<\/a>, Organic Zone<\/a>, Jackson\u2019s Real Food Market<\/a> and Bryanston Organic & Natural Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe have completed numerous successful investigations so far, including GUDGU<\/a>, Pick n Pay free range eggs<\/a>, Sing Fefur teas<\/a>, Naturally Organic<\/a>, Elgin Free Range Chickens<\/a>, Superfoods<\/a>, <\/strong>Nature\u2019s Choice GMO-free claims,<\/a>Woolworth\u2019s organic vegetables<\/a>, Cape Town Market<\/a>, Mrs BreadCare<\/a>, Wakaberry<\/a>, Le Chocolatier<\/a>, Freedom Bakery<\/a>, Frys<\/a> and Futurelife<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nConsumers are encouraged to nominate products for investigation via our online form: https:\/\/buff.ly\/2PCSBK8 <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nFollow us on Facebook<\/a> or Twitter<\/a> or contact the TOPIC SA<\/a> team via email.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TOPIC (Testing of Products Initiated by Consumers) is a consumer-led organisation funded by consumers and retailers who are committed to transparency. We use laboratory testing, farm and factory visits and other means as necessary to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1494,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[21,7,70,9,42,11,12],"class_list":["post-1465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-gmo-label-claim","tag-accurate-labels","tag-gmo","tag-gmofree","tag-labelling-laws","tag-regulations","tag-south-africa","tag-transparency"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1465"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1510,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions\/1510"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRoundup Ready GMO soybeans were introduced to South Africa in 2001 and globally account for 80% of the global market and 95% of the South African market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roundup Ready Soybeans are genetically engineered soybeans that have had their DNA altered to allow them to withstand the herbicide glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup). They are also known as “glyphosate tolerant” soybeans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide and the most widely used chemical herbicide in history. Glyphosate has been declared a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization\u2019s International Agency for Research on Cancer, a contention that is currently the subject of several international lawsuits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engaging with Clover <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOur investigation into Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk started on 23 March 2023 when we sent our letter via email to Clover\u2019s Head Office and Customer Care Department. We also tagged Clover on Facebook and Twitter. The letter, addressed to Clover SA CEO Johann Vorster, asked if it would be possible to provide us with copies of any documentation confirming the GMO-free claims of their Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With no initial reply, we proceeded to email and call their Head Office and customer care lines. Finally on 13 April, TOPIC received a phone call followed up by an email from Whitney Maanda, Clover\u2019s Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Food Law, who promised us feedback. After prompting, on 23 May Maanda sent us Clover\u2019s GMO statement and said the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake note that the Quality department ensured that the suppliers provide Clover with non-GMO ingredients and that is checked by the team. Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the suppliers\u2019 details.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nClover responded to the delays in their initial responses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhilst we acknowledge that some time lapsed from your initial query sent on 23 March until when you received a response on 13 April 2023, we are quite a large organisation and sometimes we do suffer the misfortune of the odd miscommunication and\/or delay thereof and we’re not always in a position to answer everything as swiftly as what we would like to however do aim to do so and improve where can.
“We do apologise for the delay and thank you for providing us with this additional time to give feedback and would like to assure you that every reasonable effort will be made to respond in a reasonable time period to queries such as this should we receive same again, taking into account the various stakeholders that we would need to engage with before being in a position to respond in a timeous manner.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nTOPIC SA sends product to the lab<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIn May, the TOPIC SA team randomly purchased a Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product and couriered it to the GMO Testing Facility at the University of the Free State. We requested the most comprehensive test available for the presence of GMOs in soya, a triple screen test for the presence of three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops: 35S, NOS and FMV. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In June, we received the test results from the facility which showed that none of the three genetic elements were found in the sample. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGMOs were not detected in the sample of Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe labelling of GMOs in SA: what do the experts say? <\/strong>
Like other countries, South Africa has come under public pressure to introduce mandatory labelling for genetically modified foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAccording to Food & Allergy Consulting & Testing Services (FACTS SA), a multidisciplinary team of dietitians and food scientists who consult to the food industry on labelling legislation and testing of food products:
\u201cThere are a number of regulations in South Africa that deal with genetically modified organisms in different ways. The Department of Health regulates labelling that would be required if a GM product is significantly different in certain ways than its non-GM counterpart (under R.25). Currently there are no products sold in SA that require such labelling.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n“The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, under the established Executive Council, regulates and approves which crops may be genetically modified and sold in South Africa.\u00a0The Consumer Protection Act provides regulations for GM free claims.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAccording to labelling consultant, Glyn Fogell:
\u201cThe current food labelling regulations, R146\/2010, are silent about labelling of foodstuffs containing GM ingredients. The Consumer Protection Act Section 24 (6) says the following: \u201cAny person who produces, supplies, imports or packages any prescribed goods must display on, or in association with the packaging of those goods, a notice in the prescribed manner and form that discloses the presence of any genetically modified ingredients or components of those goods in accordance with applicable regulations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nFACTS added:
\u201cRegulation 7 (Product labelling and trade descriptions: genetically modified organisms) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) states that only maize, soya, cotton and canola are approved for commercialisation by the Executive Council for Genetically Modified Organisms.
“This means that the commercialisation of other GM crops for use and sale to be consumed by humans or animals in SA is prohibited. Therefore, a GMO free claim should only be used on products which GM is approved in SA, as it could be misleading to the consumer to see such a claim on a product when in fact any product made from that crop would be GMO free.
“According to the CPA sub regulations, the requirement for making the claim \u2018Does not contain GMO\u2019 or \u2018GMO free\u2019 is that the product must be tested and found to contain less than 1% GMOs.
The lab results on the Clover sample showed GM \u2018not detected\u2019; therefore the product complies with the CPA requirement for a GMO free claim.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStatement on Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFogell continues:
\u201cIn this instance, Clover should provide to anyone authorised by the Department the appropriate analytical results supporting their claim. A private person may also request proof; if the manufacturer refuses to divulge the information, an application may be made under PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act (Act 2 of 2000)). They are not obliged to reveal their supplier of raw materials, just the analysis done as part of their quality control process to ensure ongoing validity of their product claim.\u201d<\/em>
It is clear, from our several investigations into the GMO labelling issue in South Africa, that some producers and retailers apply the CPA rules, while others seem to not label GMO ingredients at all. The exception is in the health market where labelling a product GMO-free is a selling point for health and environment-conscious consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nComments from retailers <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFaithful to Nature CEO, Paul Cook, said the following:
\u201cFaithful to Nature has a very strict product listing policy \u2013 we do not sell GMO products or products derived from GMO products, due to their potential negative impact on the environment. GMO plants may affect biodiversity, and there are also concerns around GMOs and the use of pesticides \u2013 while GMO plants may help reduce pesticide use in some cases, they also increase pesticide use in other cases.
Given the environmental impact of GMOs, it\u2019s good to see other businesses also excluding GMOs from their products, and doing the necessary due diligence and checks to ensure that their ingredients are truly non-GMO.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWellness Warehouse said the following:
\u201cAt Wellness Warehouse, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality natural and organic products, which is why we strictly adhere to a GMO-free policy. We do not allow genetically modified organisms in our products and always request full transparency and verification from our suppliers to ensure our offerings meet our rigorous standards.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOrganic Zone\u2019s owner, Allister McGregor, said:
\u201cWe offer a wide range of GMO-free food products and our ingredients policy is to avoid stocking any product with GMO in it. We are appreciative of the role that TOPIC SA plays in verifying label claims and ensuring that consumers can trust what is on the shelf.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nClover responds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
On 22 September, Clover responded to our findings:
\u201cClover stated at the outset when we did engage with TOPIC that this product was GMO free thus we’re very proud to live up to this claim made to consumers. TOPIC has also corroborated this claim by independently confirming that our Soy Milk is GMO free.
Additionally, Clover performs traceability to ensure the non-GMO status through the supply chain and the tests done prove our initial statement was true i.e. the Clover Good Hope Soy Milk is GMO-free.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn conclusion…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nConsumers wanted to know if Clover\u2019s Good Hope soy products were really GMO free as their labels claim. The laboratory test results from the randomly purchased product showed that the three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops – 35S, NOS and FMV – were not detected and therefore the product tested was free from GMOs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Various independent labelling experts agreed that Clover\u2019s product fully complies with the Consumer Protection Act which stipulates that less than 1% GMOs must be present for a product to be labelled GMO free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The TOPIC SA team is happy to verify for South African consumers yet again that a label claim on a product on our shelves can be trusted, and it has been positive to receive a good response from Clover in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
——————————————————————————————————————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanks for being our partners in the pursuit of label accuracy in South Africa and consumer safety. TOPIC works with retailers and producers who are committed to transparency and is supported by Faithful to Nature<\/a>, Wellness Warehouse<\/a>, UCOOK<\/a>, Organic Zone<\/a>, Jackson\u2019s Real Food Market<\/a> and Bryanston Organic & Natural Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe have completed numerous successful investigations so far, including GUDGU<\/a>, Pick n Pay free range eggs<\/a>, Sing Fefur teas<\/a>, Naturally Organic<\/a>, Elgin Free Range Chickens<\/a>, Superfoods<\/a>, <\/strong>Nature\u2019s Choice GMO-free claims,<\/a>Woolworth\u2019s organic vegetables<\/a>, Cape Town Market<\/a>, Mrs BreadCare<\/a>, Wakaberry<\/a>, Le Chocolatier<\/a>, Freedom Bakery<\/a>, Frys<\/a> and Futurelife<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nConsumers are encouraged to nominate products for investigation via our online form: https:\/\/buff.ly\/2PCSBK8 <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nFollow us on Facebook<\/a> or Twitter<\/a> or contact the TOPIC SA<\/a> team via email.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TOPIC (Testing of Products Initiated by Consumers) is a consumer-led organisation funded by consumers and retailers who are committed to transparency. We use laboratory testing, farm and factory visits and other means as necessary to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1494,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[21,7,70,9,42,11,12],"class_list":["post-1465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-gmo-label-claim","tag-accurate-labels","tag-gmo","tag-gmofree","tag-labelling-laws","tag-regulations","tag-south-africa","tag-transparency"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1465"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1510,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions\/1510"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOur investigation into Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk started on 23 March 2023 when we sent our letter via email to Clover\u2019s Head Office and Customer Care Department. We also tagged Clover on Facebook and Twitter. The letter, addressed to Clover SA CEO Johann Vorster, asked if it would be possible to provide us with copies of any documentation confirming the GMO-free claims of their Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With no initial reply, we proceeded to email and call their Head Office and customer care lines. Finally on 13 April, TOPIC received a phone call followed up by an email from Whitney Maanda, Clover\u2019s Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Food Law, who promised us feedback. After prompting, on 23 May Maanda sent us Clover\u2019s GMO statement and said the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake note that the Quality department ensured that the suppliers provide Clover with non-GMO ingredients and that is checked by the team. Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the suppliers\u2019 details.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Clover responded to the delays in their initial responses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhilst we acknowledge that some time lapsed from your initial query sent on 23 March until when you received a response on 13 April 2023, we are quite a large organisation and sometimes we do suffer the misfortune of the odd miscommunication and\/or delay thereof and we’re not always in a position to answer everything as swiftly as what we would like to however do aim to do so and improve where can. In May, the TOPIC SA team randomly purchased a Clover Good Hope Soy Milk product and couriered it to the GMO Testing Facility at the University of the Free State. We requested the most comprehensive test available for the presence of GMOs in soya, a triple screen test for the presence of three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops: 35S, NOS and FMV. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In June, we received the test results from the facility which showed that none of the three genetic elements were found in the sample. <\/p>\n\n\n GMOs were not detected in the sample of Clover\u2019s Good Hope Soy Milk product. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The labelling of GMOs in SA: what do the experts say? <\/strong> According to Food & Allergy Consulting & Testing Services (FACTS SA), a multidisciplinary team of dietitians and food scientists who consult to the food industry on labelling legislation and testing of food products: “The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, under the established Executive Council, regulates and approves which crops may be genetically modified and sold in South Africa.\u00a0The Consumer Protection Act provides regulations for GM free claims.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to labelling consultant, Glyn Fogell: FACTS added: Statement on Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fogell continues: Faithful to Nature CEO, Paul Cook, said the following: Wellness Warehouse said the following: Organic Zone\u2019s owner, Allister McGregor, said: On 22 September, Clover responded to our findings: Consumers wanted to know if Clover\u2019s Good Hope soy products were really GMO free as their labels claim. The laboratory test results from the randomly purchased product showed that the three genetic elements commonly found in GM crops – 35S, NOS and FMV – were not detected and therefore the product tested was free from GMOs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Various independent labelling experts agreed that Clover\u2019s product fully complies with the Consumer Protection Act which stipulates that less than 1% GMOs must be present for a product to be labelled GMO free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The TOPIC SA team is happy to verify for South African consumers yet again that a label claim on a product on our shelves can be trusted, and it has been positive to receive a good response from Clover in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ——————————————————————————————————————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks for being our partners in the pursuit of label accuracy in South Africa and consumer safety. TOPIC works with retailers and producers who are committed to transparency and is supported by Faithful to Nature<\/a>, Wellness Warehouse<\/a>, UCOOK<\/a>, Organic Zone<\/a>, Jackson\u2019s Real Food Market<\/a> and Bryanston Organic & Natural Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have completed numerous successful investigations so far, including GUDGU<\/a>, Pick n Pay free range eggs<\/a>, Sing Fefur teas<\/a>, Naturally Organic<\/a>, Elgin Free Range Chickens<\/a>, Superfoods<\/a>, <\/strong>Nature\u2019s Choice GMO-free claims,<\/a>Woolworth\u2019s organic vegetables<\/a>, Cape Town Market<\/a>, Mrs BreadCare<\/a>, Wakaberry<\/a>, Le Chocolatier<\/a>, Freedom Bakery<\/a>, Frys<\/a> and Futurelife<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consumers are encouraged to nominate products for investigation via our online form: https:\/\/buff.ly\/2PCSBK8 <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow us on Facebook<\/a> or Twitter<\/a> or contact the TOPIC SA<\/a> team via email.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" TOPIC (Testing of Products Initiated by Consumers) is a consumer-led organisation funded by consumers and retailers who are committed to transparency. We use laboratory testing, farm and factory visits and other means as necessary to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1494,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[21,7,70,9,42,11,12],"class_list":["post-1465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-gmo-label-claim","tag-accurate-labels","tag-gmo","tag-gmofree","tag-labelling-laws","tag-regulations","tag-south-africa","tag-transparency"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1465"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1510,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions\/1510"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topicsa.org.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
“We do apologise for the delay and thank you for providing us with this additional time to give feedback and would like to assure you that every reasonable effort will be made to respond in a reasonable time period to queries such as this should we receive same again, taking into account the various stakeholders that we would need to engage with before being in a position to respond in a timeous manner.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nTOPIC SA sends product to the lab<\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Like other countries, South Africa has come under public pressure to introduce mandatory labelling for genetically modified foods. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u201cThere are a number of regulations in South Africa that deal with genetically modified organisms in different ways. The Department of Health regulates labelling that would be required if a GM product is significantly different in certain ways than its non-GM counterpart (under R.25). Currently there are no products sold in SA that require such labelling.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe current food labelling regulations, R146\/2010, are silent about labelling of foodstuffs containing GM ingredients. The Consumer Protection Act Section 24 (6) says the following: \u201cAny person who produces, supplies, imports or packages any prescribed goods must display on, or in association with the packaging of those goods, a notice in the prescribed manner and form that discloses the presence of any genetically modified ingredients or components of those goods in accordance with applicable regulations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRegulation 7 (Product labelling and trade descriptions: genetically modified organisms) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) states that only maize, soya, cotton and canola are approved for commercialisation by the Executive Council for Genetically Modified Organisms.
“This means that the commercialisation of other GM crops for use and sale to be consumed by humans or animals in SA is prohibited. Therefore, a GMO free claim should only be used on products which GM is approved in SA, as it could be misleading to the consumer to see such a claim on a product when in fact any product made from that crop would be GMO free.
“According to the CPA sub regulations, the requirement for making the claim \u2018Does not contain GMO\u2019 or \u2018GMO free\u2019 is that the product must be tested and found to contain less than 1% GMOs.
The lab results on the Clover sample showed GM \u2018not detected\u2019; therefore the product complies with the CPA requirement for a GMO free claim.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn this instance, Clover should provide to anyone authorised by the Department the appropriate analytical results supporting their claim. A private person may also request proof; if the manufacturer refuses to divulge the information, an application may be made under PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act (Act 2 of 2000)). They are not obliged to reveal their supplier of raw materials, just the analysis done as part of their quality control process to ensure ongoing validity of their product claim.\u201d<\/em>
It is clear, from our several investigations into the GMO labelling issue in South Africa, that some producers and retailers apply the CPA rules, while others seem to not label GMO ingredients at all. The exception is in the health market where labelling a product GMO-free is a selling point for health and environment-conscious consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nComments from retailers <\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u201cFaithful to Nature has a very strict product listing policy \u2013 we do not sell GMO products or products derived from GMO products, due to their potential negative impact on the environment. GMO plants may affect biodiversity, and there are also concerns around GMOs and the use of pesticides \u2013 while GMO plants may help reduce pesticide use in some cases, they also increase pesticide use in other cases.
Given the environmental impact of GMOs, it\u2019s good to see other businesses also excluding GMOs from their products, and doing the necessary due diligence and checks to ensure that their ingredients are truly non-GMO.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u201cAt Wellness Warehouse, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality natural and organic products, which is why we strictly adhere to a GMO-free policy. We do not allow genetically modified organisms in our products and always request full transparency and verification from our suppliers to ensure our offerings meet our rigorous standards.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u201cWe offer a wide range of GMO-free food products and our ingredients policy is to avoid stocking any product with GMO in it. We are appreciative of the role that TOPIC SA plays in verifying label claims and ensuring that consumers can trust what is on the shelf.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nClover responds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cClover stated at the outset when we did engage with TOPIC that this product was GMO free thus we’re very proud to live up to this claim made to consumers. TOPIC has also corroborated this claim by independently confirming that our Soy Milk is GMO free.
Additionally, Clover performs traceability to ensure the non-GMO status through the supply chain and the tests done prove our initial statement was true i.e. the Clover Good Hope Soy Milk is GMO-free.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn conclusion…<\/h2>\n\n\n
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