Are there genetically modified food on the romanian market?

Abstract

The Romanian market is full of soybean products for instance: soy milk, soy flower, tofu, or raw soybean in different shapes and sizes. Although our country prohibited the genetically modified soybean cultivation since 2007 the others countries of the world are still cultivating it. The conventional soybean cultivated by Romanian farmers is exported, and in exchange we are importing genetically modified soybean. According to the study of the market, there aren’t genetically modified soybeans products on the market meaning that the imported soybeans are used for animal feeding and the information stops there: we are not informed that the animal who’s milk or meat we are eating was feed on genetically modified organisms. During the study I have used 60 different soybean products meaning: 9 drinks, 2 bars, 5 vegetable pastes, 6 raw soybeans products, 4 soybeans oils, 4 types of soybean sauce, 10 types of tofu, 5 types of desserts, 4 soybeans specialties, 4 soy beans products, 3 soybeans supplements, 4 soybeans cosmetics. The research targeted the labeling interpretation, because according to Government Decision number 173/2006 the producers are forced to inform the consumer if the product is genetically modified or contains genetically modified ingredients. During the research I have noticed that most of the soybean products come from ecological or biological agriculture and contain the information: this product doesn’t contain genetically modified soybean. This means that consumers are afraid of the genetically modified products and the producers use this information to convince them to buy soybean product without concerning for their health.