People buy vegetables and fruits in a local supermarket in Fuyang, Anhui Province in August. There is no sign for genetically modified (GM) foods. Photo: CFP

Read more in Daily Special: Growing GM food rumors seed public concern

When the People's Daily on September 16 published a list of genetically modified (GM) foods permitted for import or sale in China, the goal was to highlight the stringent safety procedures required for the sale of GM foods.

But instead, the report, which included details of the approved GM crops such as cotton, rice, corn and papaya, with papaya and cotton approved for commercial plantation, prompted public discussion about whether there is sufficient information available to consumers regarding GM foods.

It also reignited the debate among the Chinese academic community, setting off a storm of vitriolic comments and outrageous debates about whether or not the food is safe, as high profile advocates and critics took to the Internet to dish out conflicting advice.

Celebrity war of words

On the morning of September 7, over 20 Net users signed up to pick and eat GM corn at the China Agricultural University in Beijing.

The activity was suggested by well-known science advocate and GM food supporter Fang Zhouzi through Weibo, who stated that "though there is no scientific research value in tasting GM corn, there is value in terms of science popularization, and opportunities should be provided for Chinese people to eat GM food every day."

Opponents of GM food quickly hit back online. Cui Yongyuan, a famous CCTV anchor, was the first to strike a blow.

"You can choose to eat GM food, but I can choose not to; you can say you know about 'science', but I have my reasons and right to doubt whether the 'science' you know about is scientific or not," responded Cui.

Fang hit back, acknowledging Cui's right to choose not to eat GM foods, but said that spreading unfounded rumors could hinder the development of China's agricultural sector. "What I have publicized is science recognized by authoritative scientific institutions around the world. What is there to doubt?" he asked.

The online quarrel lasted for a week and in a vote, Net users overwhelmingly sided with Cui. The debate between the two represented a microcosm of a wider schism in academic circles over the role GM foods should have in Chinese society.

The experts weigh in

"It would become a war of words if we only discuss whether GM foods are safe or not," Na Zhongyuan, a director with the Yunnan Institute for Ecological Agriculture, told the Global Times.

Na, one of the more radical voices in the debate, even rejects the notion that GM foods can boost crop yields. Calling it "pseudoscience", he rails against the idea that China should follow the US in this manner, saying China's situation is different.

He said most GM crops are used for processing materials in the US, not as food. "I have relatives in the US. They don't eat GM food at all," said Na, adding that GM food also poses risks to the environment.

At the direct opposite end of the spectrum, Yan Jianbing, a professor with the College of Life Science and Technology at Huazhong Agricultural University, said that GM foods are 100 percent safe. Using GM soybeans as an example, Yan said they are more productive than non-GM soybeans, and thus oil made from GM soybeans are cheaper, which benefits consumers.

Confused consumers

In fact, debate over GM technology is going worldwide. A survey by Thomson Reuters in 2010 shows that 21 percent of people in US believe GM foods are safe while 64 percent are not sure and 90 perent support to label GM foods.

Many Chinese consumers find it hard to identify whether or not products are made from GM foods. One woman, surnamed Wu, from Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times that she prefers to avoid GM food, but finds it very difficult.

 "I can't always check the labels, and when it comes to pork, there's no way to tell if the pig has been fed GM fodder," she said.

Sometimes, it is impossible. As one example, according to Fang, almost all domestically produced papayas are genetically modified. Soybean oil is another difficult purchase for those wanting to avoid GM food, as there are five times more oils made from imported soybeans when compared to those made from domestic beans. Although GM soybeans can't be planted in China, there are often no ways of checking the foreign brands.

"If we don't eat GM crops like soybeans directly, we might eat oil made from them; even if we don't eat oil made from them, we might eat pork from pigs who are fed with GM materials," said Yan, indicaiting that the era of GM technology has inevitably come.

Earlier this month, 12 lawyers from four different provinces wrote a joint letter to the China Food and Drug Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture, demanding that they disclose information about GM food to meet the public's right to know and exercise free choice, the Guangzhou-based Yangcheng Evening News reported.

Shi Baozhong, one of the 12 laywers, told the Global Times that the list published by the People's Daily was not sufficient to inform consumers about GM foods. He said that the administration had agreed to give a written reply by September 16, but  they have not received a reply.

As far as the official government stance goes, most GM foods are safe. GM foods which have undergone safety evaluation and are sold in markets are as safe as non-GM foods, according to Lin Min, a member with the State Agricultural GM Crop Bio-safety Committee, cited on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Lin stated that GM foods have been on the market around the world for 17 years. People who eat GM foods account for 80 percent of the world's population, and there hasn't been proven case or safety problems related with GM food,  Xinhua News Agency reported.