The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of the Associated Press. The new rules require scientific evaluation of such imports, which have become controversial worldwide. The European Union, for example, has banned U.S. hormone-treated beef imports, triggering a nasty trade dispute.
Companies hoping to sell the products in Singapore now have to apply to the government first.
Decisions will probably take three to six months, said Ngiam Tong Tau, deputy chairman of Singapore's Genetic Modification Advisory Committee. The guidelines, which take effect immediately, cover genetically modified animals, plants, fish, insects, microorganisms and vaccines, along with products such as meat, eggs, fish, vegetables and fruit, Ngiam said. The manipulation of genes can provide higher crop yields, insect resistance, better food quality and other advantages, advocates say. But others are fearful of possible unknown effects on humans and environmental balance. Officials will also study the products' potential impact on the environment, such as determining whether new plants might become weeds, it said.