FSSAI to bring out new guidelines on GM foods

NewDelhi, June 21: A new regulations will be issued soon. Packaged Food manufacturers must soon have to disclose details of genetically modified (GM) ingredients used in the manufacture of food on the labels.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Chief Executive Officer CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal said that we will soon bring final guidelines on the labeling of GM foods. He said that "Currently there are no clear guidelines on the usage of GM ingredients and the manufacturers are taking an advantage of this".

Agarwal said that "we have received many complaints from consumers and we have also tested many foods and found that manufacturers are illegally importing or manufacturing GM foods and not labeling them". Currently, many of global countries have clear regulations on these foods. European Union has banned GM foods in its territory.

FSSAI had held a meeting with Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee GEAC on this issue last month. Finally many people have raised the protest against the regulator body for allowing GM foods to be imported or manufactured even though they label the ingredients used because of the safety issue. Let's wait for final regulations so that a clarity is achieved for manufacturers.