May 9, 2000 / The MEATing Place / Bryan Salvage
Food industry trade groups are asking U.S. regulatory agencies to establish guidelines that address labeling claims concerning biotechnology. In particular, a petition to be filed with the Food and Drug Administration will ask the agency to explain some "rules of the road" for manufacturers who want to use terms such as "GM-Free," "Non-GM" or others in food labeling. The Grocery Manufacturers of America was joined by the American Frozen Food Institute, Food Marketing Institute, International Dairy Foods Association, National Food Processors Association, and Snack Food Association in filing the petitions with FDA and the Federal Trade Commission. "We want to ensure that any claims made about modern biotechnology in food labels and in advertising are truthful and not misleading," said C. Manly Molpus, GMA president and CEO. "At the same time, we want to meet consumers' desire for choices in the marketplace and manufacturers' desire to respond to consumer preferences." Molpus noted that the suggested guides would apply existing law and do not seek to expand or restrict current laws and regulations governing claims about food products.
"We believe the FTC and FDA have ample authority to keep the marketplace open and honest, if everyone follows the rules," Molpus said. "These guides should help us follow those rules and make clear that just as with claims made for conventional foods, information provided to consumers about the use of food biotechnology-or the lack thereof-must be non-deceptive and appropriately substantiated." The FTC guides address advertising claims about the use of modern biotechnology in producing foods and ingredients.
The FDA guides are more narrowly focused, covering labeling claims about the absence of biotechnology in the production of foods and ingredients. The guidance suggested by GMA and its co-petitioners for making claims about modern biotechnology in the production of foods includes:
- For claims such as "GM Free," which imply the absence of "genetic modification" in the production of foods and food ingredients, the terms must be qualified or explained as necessary in an appropriate context so that consumers understand that "geneticmodification" refers to recombinant DNA methods.
- For claims that a food or its ingredients, such as raw agricultural commodities, are not derived from or made through the use of recombinant DNA techniques adequate testing records or other appropriate documentation is be necessary to establish the source and handling of the food or its ingredients.
- For claims that a whole food or food ingredient is "GM-free" or "Non-GM," their meaning must be clear in terms of whether they refer to composition differences, or to source differences or both.
- Claims that a food or food ingredient is "GM Free" or "Non-GM" may be misleading if they imply superiority. If superiority is implied, such an implication could be false or misleading.
- Claims about the presence or absence of biotechnology must be substantiated by competent and reliable evidence.
- Claims about the benefits related to the use or avoidance of biotechnology must be substantiated by competent and reliable evidence.
The full text of the petitions is available by logging onto GMABrands.com
(posted without permission)
