Soybean oil processed from biotech (transgenic) soybeans does not contain either protein or DNA and thus is free of genes that may have been introduced via biotechnology methods because neither DNA nor protein is found in refined oil. This fact has lead the United Kingdom to exempt oil from transgenic crops as being labeled that they contain genetically modified ingredients. A similar decision was reached in 1999 by the Japanese government.
The UK responded with an official statement when it was learned that some imported oil seedrape (canola) contained a small proportion of transgenic seeds. Sir John Krebs of the UK Food Safety Agency declared, "The oil from the GM (transgenic) variety, which is indistinguishable from oil obtained from non-modified oilseed rape, does not require labeling since neither DNA or protein will be present in the refined oil." The same applies to soybeans and any other crop that may be used to produce vegetable oil.
Soybean Digest, Vol. 60, No. 12. Dec. 2000. page 39. SoybeanDigest.com
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