The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has published draft Food Safety and Standards (Genetically Modified Foods) Regulations, 2022.
Key highlights of draft
- The draft proposes mandatory prior approval from the regulator to manufacture, sell and import food or ingredients produced from genetically modified organisms.
- The proposed regulation will apply to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) intended for food use.
- The regulations, once implemented, will also be applicable to food ingredients produced from GMOs that contain modified DNA as well as for food ingredients produced from GMOs that do not contain modified DNA but includes ingredients/additives/processing aids derived from GMOs.
- GMO means any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.
- 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,” the draft said.
- All food products must be labelled with the words ‘contains genetically modified organisms’.
- Manufacturers and importers of GM food products and ingredients must submit an application to the FSSAI for prior approval.
- In the case of GMOs that are used as food or source material for production of food, a clearance from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the national competent authority for the environmental risk assessment, will also need to be submitted.
- At the same time, if GMO is to be used as seeds or for cultivation, the applicant “ shall parallelly submit an application to the GEAC for compliance to Rules 1989 (Environment Ministry notified rules)“.
- This is subject to the condition that if the product contains one per cent or more of the GM ingredient considered individually.
- The draft regulation stated that food products having individual GM ingredient of 1 per cent or more should be labelled as “contains genetically modified organisms“.
- This label must appear on the front-of-pack of pre-packaged products, This labelling requirement also applies to adventitious or technically unavoidable presence of GM ingredients.
