Meiji Seika urged to name users of GMO sweetener

TOKYO, March 25 (Reuters) - Environmental campaigning group Greenpeace on Tuesday urged Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd 2202.T to name the companies and products using a sweetener made with an unapproved GMO additive.

Meiji Seika, Japan's biggest chocolate maker, has halted sale of its potentially lucrative GF2 sugar alternative.

On the advice of the authorities, the company last week announced a voluntary recall of GF2 and six types of diet food containing it.

"We're concerned about any products using GF2 now in the marketplace as much as those which have been recalled," Greenpeace Japan said in a statement.

The recall was the latest in a series of controversies around food in Japan, the world's biggest importer of farm produce, including a scandal earlier this year involving contaminated Chinese-made dumplings.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said if Meiji Seika wanted to use the GMO additive in GF2 production, the Food Safety Commission of Japan must first approve it.

The government has so far approved 14 GMO food additives used in food processing.

"Our recall has nothing to do with the health of those who have taken the products," a spokesman at Meiji Seika said.

"We're confident about the safety of the products based on a pile of test data we've collected," he said.

"We'd like to make application to the health ministry as soon as possible so that we are able to sell them (GF2) like before."

GF2 retailed direct to consumers at 630 yen ($6.3) per 60 grams and was also sold to other food makers.

Osaka-based unlisted Fujishokuhin Co Ltd last week became the first GF2 user to recall products made with the sweetener. (Reporting by Risa Maeda; Editing by David Cowell)