FSSAI proposes regulations for genetically modified food

Source: The post is based on the article “FSSAI proposes regulations for genetically modified food” published in Business Standard on 22nd November 2022.

What is the News?

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Genetically Modified Foods) Regulations,2022.

About Draft Food Safety and Standards (Genetically Modified Foods) Regulations,2022

The regulations will apply to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) intended for food use.

It will be applicable to food ingredients produced from GMOs that contain modified DNA as well as to food ingredients produced from GMOs that do not contain modified DNA but includes ingredients/additives/processing aids derived from GMOs.

Note: GMO means any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.

Key Provisions of the Regulations

Approval of food authority: No person shall manufacture, pack, store, sell, market or otherwise distribute or import any food or food ingredient produced from GMOs except with the prior approval of the food authority.

Labelling of GMO Products: All GMO food products must be labelled with the words ‘contains genetically modified organisms’. This is subject to the condition that if the product contains 1% or more of the GM ingredient considered individually.

– This label must appear on the front of a pack of pre-packaged products. This labelling requirement also applies to the adventitious or technically unavoidable presence of GM ingredients.

– The labelling requirement will not be applicable to GM-food products in which the modified DNA is not detectable.