Food Labelling Review - Genetically Modified Food

Issue

The report on the Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy (Labelling Logic) developed by the Independent Panel chaired by Dr Neal Blewett contains recommendations concerning the labelling of new technologies, including genetic modification.

Response

The Australian Government is aware of the debate and degree of community interest in genetically modified (GM) ingredients in food. Unsafe foods are not permitted for sale in Australia. There is a robust regulatory process for GM foods within this country.

In 2011, the final report (Labelling Logic) was released by the Independent Panel who conducted a review on food labelling law and policy. Labelling Logic contains several recommendations regarding GM food labelling.

On 9 December 2011, the Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation (the Forum), considered its response to the recommendations in Labelling Logic. The Forum has proposed actions and implementation over the next five years that endeavour to balance improving the information on food labels to meet consumers’ needs, against maintaining marketing flexibility and minimising the regulatory burden on industry and barriers to trade. Information about the Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy, the Labelling Logic report, and the full Government response are available on the Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy website.

The Forum agreed to a framework that will guide decision making on food labelling matters using a three tiered hierarchy consisting of food safety, followed by preventative health and consumer values issues. The labelling of new technologies (e.g. GM) will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Forum’s response recognises that foods produced or processed using new technologies may need to be treated differently from foods produced using more traditional techniques due to the lack of historical data regarding human consumption, but that this should always take place on a case-by-case basis. A Ministerial Policy Guideline will be developed that sets out how the case-by-case consideration of both regulatory (i.e. labelling) and non-regulatory measures would apply to a new technology.

Reviewed: 28 February 2013