The 2016 new GMO food labeling regulations are closely tied to you
The Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare recently (2/26) gave advance notice of amendments to three draft regulations: the "Matters to Be Complied with for the Labeling of Packaged Foods Containing Genetically Modified Food Ingredients," the "Matters to Be Complied with for the Labeling of Food Additives Containing Genetically Modified Food Ingredients," and the "Matters to Be Complied with for the Labeling of Bulk Foods Containing Genetically Modified Food Ingredients" three drafts In three months, the new labeling system for genetically modified foods will be launched. What impact will it have on your life and mine? According to the new draft regulations announced by the Food and Drug Administration, packaged foods and food additives will be fully labeled after June 1, 2015, while bulk foods will be labeled "genetically modified" in three stages according to category and target, with full implementation reaching markets or vendors only on January 1, 2016. After the new system is implemented, only food ingredients for which both genetically modified and non-genetically modified items exist and circulate in international trade will be eligible to carry the words "non-genetically modified." Taking tofu as an example, if non-genetically modified soybeans with an unintentional admixture rate of 0.9% are used as the raw material, the product may be labeled "This tofu uses non-genetically modified soybean raw material compliant with EU regulations with an unintentional admixture rate of 0.9%." Conversely, if the tofu is made from black beans, since there is currently no genetically modified variety of black beans, it cannot be labeled "This tofu uses non-genetically modified black beans as the raw material" For labeling by mark (label), the length and width of the font must each be no less than 0.5 cm; for bulk foods labeled in other formats, each must be no less than two cm.
In 2016
Non-genetically modified food ingredients may be labeled "non-genetically modified" or "not genetically modified" only when a genetically modified counterpart also exists and circulates in international trade, and may be labeled according to the unintentional admixture rate. (This item is newly added.)
The length and width of the labeling font must not be less than 5 cm, and other labeling formats for bulk foods must not be less than 2 cm.