3:46 PM - Oct 31, 2000 EDT
 New Zealand to Ban GM Corn Products

 Bernie Napp/The Evening Post

 Foods containing genetically modified Starlink corn will be prevented
from appearing in New Zealand supermarkets, the Health Ministry says.

 The Green Party and GE Free New Zealand on Monday called on the
government to monitor food products from the United States containing
corn.

 Health Ministry food manager Jim Sim said it would take two or three
days to confirm with U.S. authorities which products allegedly contained
Starlink corn.

 "Once we have this information we will be able to ... ensure that these
products are removed from sale if any have been imported," Sim said.

 Starlink patent owner Aventis, which appeared last week before the
Royal Commission on Genetic Modification, is attempting to recall its
corn.

 It has asked the U.S. government for a four-year grace period for corn
that has ended up in food  products.

 Starlink corn has been approved in the United States for animal but not
human consumption.

 Green Party health spokeswoman Sue Kedgley on Monday said Starlink corn
was feared to cause allergic reactions and digestion problems in some
humans.

 "Unless the government sets up an immediate program to randomly monitor
genetically engineered ingredients in our food supply, it cannot guarantee
consumers that their food is safe."