New regulations on labelling of genetically modified foods, made in Wellington, New Zealand last month by Health Ministers from New Zealand and Australian State and Territory Government, aim to give some certainty to consumers and industry about food labelling. Essentially the regulations require the labelling of food and food ingredients where novel DNA and/or protein is present in the final food and the labelling of food and food ingredients where the food has altered characteristics. The Standard allows an ingredient to contain up to 1 per cent of unintended presence of genetically modified foods. Some senators expressed concern at the potential cost to the food industry and the impact of export competitiveness of the new regulations.
