What other countries have been developing genetically modified products?
Japan and China have developed many products similar to those under development in the United States and are actively working on more. Japan, for example, has developed a low-allergen variety of rice. China currently has many test plots of transgenic plants under cultivation. Europe is also exploring bioengineered foods. The nations of Europe, however, have encountered significant resistance from consumers and activists and are tightly regulating the technology (see answer to question 13). As a result, the research remains mostly in the laboratory with few field studies underway. 13. What positions are other countries taking regarding bioengineered or genetically modified foods? In 1999, the European Union suspended regulatory approval of new genetically engineered (GE) products grown in its 15 member countries. Farmers are allowed to cultivate a few GE crops, including strains of soya, corn and cotton. In 1998, the European Union instituted mandatory segregation and labeling requireme
