Genetically modified food is safe to eat, says China's agriculture minister

Agriculture Minister Han Changfu says there is no reason to fear genetically modified food and that he regularly eats it himself.

The statement was the most public effort yet by a senior mainland official to dispel anxiety about the safety of GM foods.

"I eat food processed from GM crops, soya bean oil to be specific," he said at a press conference yesterday in Beijing, where the National People's Congress is meeting.

Han said most soya bean oil products sold on the mainland were made from imported GM soya beans. He spent over 20 minutes explaining the rigours of the safety assessment and supervision network for GM foods.

The minister also said the outbreak of bird flu should not deter people from eating chicken.

"As agriculture minister, I promise you eating chicken is safe," he said, adding that poultry farms had not been infected with the H7N9 virus. Mainland health authorities have reported more than 120 human cases this year.