FDA announced the first approval for a genetically engineered animal intended for food, AquAdvantage Salmon. The agency also is issuing two guidances for manufacturers who wish to voluntarily label their products as containing ingredients from GE or non-GE sources: a draft guidance on labeling foods derived from Atlantic salmon, and a final guidance on foods derived from GE plants.
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) President and CEO Andrew LaVigne made the following statement regarding FDA’s decision to reject a petition calling for mandatory labeling of foods made with GE organisms:
“We applaud the FDA’s decision to stand up for science and reject calls for mandatory labeling of GE foods. The FDA has made it clear — as it did in its 1992 policy — that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that foods derived from GE organisms differ from foods derived from non-GE organisms in any meaningful way, or that they present any greater safety concerns. ASTA continues to support voluntary labeling.”
According to FDA, foods derived from GE plants and animals must meet the same requirements, including safety and labeling requirements, as other foods. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA can only require additional labeling of foods derived from GE sources if there is a material difference — such as a different nutritional profile — between the GE product and its non-GE counterpart.
“We recognize that some consumers are interested in knowing whether food ingredients are derived from GE sources,” said Susan Mayne, director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “The FDA is issuing two guidance documents that explain how food companies that want to voluntarily label their products can provide this information to consumers.”
These two guidance documents include a draft guidance on voluntary labeling indicating whether food has or has not been derived from GE Atlantic salmon and a final guidance on voluntary labeling indicating whether food has or has not been derived from GE plants.
Although companies can always voluntarily add labeling to their products as long as it’s truthful and not misleading, these guidances provide recommended actions for manufacturers who may wish to voluntarily label their products with information about whether the foods contain ingredients from GE sources.