Labeling `Gene Modified Food` from Next Month.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday that the 27 products made of the genetically modified beans, corns, and bean sprouts should label it from July 13.

Therefore, the foods or the food additives that are made of the genetically modified beans, corns, and bean sprouts, should describe `Genetically Modified Food,` or `Genetically Modified such-and-such Food` right beside the ingredients. When the manufacturers could not verify whether the ingredients of the products include the genetically modified crops and foods, they have to describe `Probably Include Genetically Modified such-and-such` on the label.

This regulation will be applied to the 27 items including bean flour, corn flour, crops products, canned bean, dried fruits, fermented soybean paste (cheongguk-jang), and fermented soybean.

KFDA will order administrative sanction of up to 3 months manufacture and sale suspension when the manufacturers did not label the sign or perjurize the label.

An official of KFDA said that the Administration will focus on the instruction and guide for the first 6 months.

Yun Sang-Ho ysh1005@donga.com