Guidance notes on novel foods legislation and labelling of GM foods

Citation

Jukes, D. (1999), "Guidance notes on novel foods legislation and labelling of GM foods", British Food Journal, Vol. 101 No. 10. https://doi.org/10.1108/bfj.1999.070101jab.006

Guidance notes on novel foods legislation and labelling of GM foods

Guidance notes on novel foods legislation and labelling of GM foods

Guidance notes on the requirements of the legislation for the approval of novel foods and novel food ingredients, and on the labelling of foods containing genetically modified soya and maize, have been published.

Food Safety Minister Jeff Rooker said: "I am pleased to announce the publication of these guidance notes. They provide clear guidance to businesses on the requirements of the legislation and should assist local authorities in enforcing these rules. Local authorities have received enough copies of the guidance notes on the labelling of foods containing GM soya and maize for all food businesses in their area."

The guidance notes (Labelling of Foods Containing Genetically Modified Soya and Maize - PB 4447, and Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients - PB 4520) are available free of charge from MAFF Publications, Admail 6000, London, SW1A 2XX. The guidance can also be found on the Internet at http//:www.maff.gov.uk/food/novel/

The EC Regulation 258/97 on Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients came into force on 15 May 1997. GB legislation in support of this Regulation came into force on 16 June 1997. The EC Regulation 1139/98, containing detailed rules on the labelling of GM soya and maize, came into force on 1 September 1998. GB legislation in support of this Regulation came into force on 19 March 1999. EC Regulation 1139/98 makes provisions for the introduction of a de minimis threshold for the presence of DNA or protein from GM sources as a result of unavoidable adventitious contamination and the formulation of a negative list of products that would not require labelling (i.e. those not containing novel protein and DNA).