NATIONAL BIOSAFETY AUTHORITY REFUTES REPORTS OF CONFISCATING GMO MEALIE MEAL

T H E Na t i o n a l Biosafety Authority (NBA) has clarified that it has not confiscated any mealie meal or products which may contain Genetically Mod i f ied Organ isms (GMOs) this year. According to the NBA, the GMO mealie mealie purported to have been confiscated was in fact seized in 2020 as it had been imported without authorisation from the government.

The NBA said mealie meal containing GMOs circulating in a video and other social media platforms was confiscated in 2020 because it came into the country without authorisation.

“The video which is circulating in the media purporting the incidence to have happened this week is an old report of 2020,” according to NBA in a statement issued yesterday.

It explained that the mealie meal in question was seized because it was placed on the market without a permit and risk assessment had not been concluded.

The Biosafety Act No.10 of 2007 in Part III Section 10 states that a person will not, develop, produce, import, export, transit, carry out any contained use without approval from NBA.

It also states that no person will release or place on the market any GMO or any of a GMO or deal in any manner with any GMO of a product of a GMO without prior approval of the authority.

“The Act also states that any approval or authorisation done by the authority for any activity relating to any GMO or any product of any GMO will be through the issuance of a permit.

“As such the mealie meal in question was seized because it was placed on the market without a permit and risk assessment had not been concluded,” NBA said.