Aussie Alcohol Industry Rejects Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Leading Australian wine writer Max Allen and award-winning winemaker from Margaret River, Vanya Cullen, have joined Greenpeace to launch the first Alcoholic Drinks Edition of the True Food Guide to genetically engineered (GE) free shopping.

The guide, which aims to help consumers avoid buying GE alcoholic drinks, was today welcomed by the majority of Australia’s popular wine, beer and spirits makers. (1)

Launching the guide, wine journalist Max Allen said, “Genetic engineering of grape vines and yeasts, currently being researched, is not the answer to the challenges facing Australia’s wine industry. The Australian wine industry would be taking a huge risk by choosing to adopt GM technology. Ethical and environmental issues are becoming increasingly important for consumers.”

Beer brands Toohey’s, Hahn, Heineken, and James Squire, and spirits like Bacardi are listed as “green” in the GE-free Alcoholic Drinks guide and do not contain ingredients derived from GE crops. Australian wines by De Bortoli, Tyrrell’s and Yellowtail are free of GE ingredients. (2)

Michelle Sheather, Greenpeace genetic engineering campaigner said, “Just like the food industry, Australia’s wine and beer industries want to stay GE-free. State governments must do a better job of protecting these industries’ right to be GE-free, and ensure crops and harvests remain free of GE contamination. And the federal government must improve our food labelling laws. Without proper labelling laws, the True Food Guides are the only way to protect consumer choice and help shoppers choose GE-free brands.” (3)

The pocket-sized GE-free shopping guide also provides information about alcoholic brands, which may contain GE-derived ingredients”. Absolut, Cascade, Cooper’s, Crown, Foster’s, VB and Strongbow are some of the “Red” listed brands. (4)

Rob Glastonbury, spokesperson for De Bortoli Wines said, “Aside from the unknowns in the use of GE products, the concept that the food chain can be tied up in patents or intellectual property rights is repugnant”.

The Alcoholic Drinks Edition of the True Food Guide follows the Canola Edition, launched in November last year, when Australia’s first GE canola was being harvested in New South Wales and Victoria. The majority of the Australian food industry rejected GE canola, and were listed as “Green” in the guide. The Australian food and alcoholic drinks industry, along with farmers, chefs, scientists, nutritionists and leading groups support Greenpeace’s opposition to the use of GE ingredients in food and drinks in Australia. (5)

Notes to Editors:

1. The Alcoholic Drinks Edition of the True Food Guide can be downloaded at www.truefood.org.au, and consumers can ask for a copy by calling Greenpeace at 1800 815 151. Rating for the Green and Red lists is based on company policy for GE ingredients, corn, soy, cotton and canola. A full list of companies rated in the Alcoholic Drinks Edition of the True Food Guide and more information on our rating can be found at
www.truefood.org.au.

2. The Winemaker’s Federation of Australia maintains a clear policy to exclude all GE ingredients from production of Australian wines: http://www.wfa.org.au/PDF/GMO%20Statement.pdf

3. The labelling of GE food in Australia is extremely limited and excludes some of the most basic and universally used ingredients like meat, eggs and milk (products derived from animal fed GE stock), as well as highly refined products like oils, and highly processed foods. For details please visit: http://www.truefood.org.au/questionsandanswers/?question=10

4. Alcoholic drinks are also threatened by GE contamination in several ways: Spirits, liqueurs, and pre-mixed drinks may contain ingredients from genetically engineered corn (maize) in the form of sweeteners and additives; similarly, one of the primary sources of GE ingredients in beers and ciders can be sweeteners and additives prepared from GE corn (maize). For details please visit: http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/australia/resources/fact-sheets/GE/GEalcoholicbevs-070709.pdf

5. Greenpeace is asking the Federal Government to label all food containing GE ingredients: http://www.truefood.org.au/OurRightToKnow/