مواد غذايي تراريخته و حقوق مصرف كننده

Genetically Modified Foods and Consumers Rights

Background: One of the basic and inalienable rights of human being is the right to choose his food requirements according to his own desires. With regard to protecting the rights of all members of society as food consumers, realizing everyoneʹs right is an ethical necessity which has been always recognized. When talking about the definition of consumer and his rights, it should be pointed out that a consumer is the one who consumes an economic stuff and his rights are considered as: the rights to have health, information and selection, the rights to offer, to receive recompense, to receive instruction and training about newly presented products of the market, to prepare the initial needs of his life and finally the right to decide about expedients and requirements of his own, his family and people under his guardianship. Understanding the concept of the rights of consumer will pose another subject named "personal independence". Independence is defined as, "the ability to show oneʹs ego besides keeping his identity through making choice and decision in the area of his own behavior." Independence is considered as opposed to paternalism in which a person, party or an institute makes decision for the otherʹs life and expedients from the position of power, without seeking for his consent. But in todayʹs world of production, business and economy, it is the certain right of the consumers to be informed about genetically modified (GM) foods and genetically modified microorganisms (GMO) to have their own choice in consuming them. Conclusion: It is still needed that more researches are carried out for the long term effects of these foodstuff. Easy accessibility of the accurate and correct information as well as providing the society with the appropriate trainings will be efficient tools to reduce the societyʹs distrust and distress towards GM foods. Therefore, labeling the GM crops or marking the GM foodstuffs and microorganisms are regarded as a kind of respect to the consumersʹ rights and leads to attract their trust and confidence.