Dairy Board Must Guarantee New Canola Butter GE Free

Green Party Safe Food Spokesperson Sue Kedgley called on the New Zealand Dairy Board to reassure New Zealanders that the canola oil it is now adding to spreadable butter was GE free.

"Much of the canola oil being produced on the world market is genetically engineered, and New Zealand consumers need to be reassured that the canola oil in their butter is not derived from genetically engineered rapeseed," Ms Kedgley said.

"Many consumers are taking every step possible to avoid genetically engineered foods and it is crucial that the Dairy Board reassure New Zealanders that one of our most basic staple foods is not being contaminated."

Ms Kedgley said it was a sad day when consumers could no longer buy pure, unadulterated butter in a form that can easily be spread onto bread.

She believed most consumers would be annoyed to learn that butter they assumed was pure now contained canola oil and yellow and orange colourings - particularly when the reason given by the Dairy Board for adding these ingredients into butter was to satisfy the taste of British consumers.

"Butter has almost become a symbol for New Zealand's clean green image, with the healthy cows and lush green pastures. The addition of these unwelcome ingredients to butter undermines New Zealand's '100 per cent pure' campaign.

"When even our butter is no longer pure, the campaign begins to have a hollow ring to it," she said.

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