Call for comment on genetically modified soybean in Australia and New Zealand

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) released on Tuesday a call for public comment on an application to approve a genetically modified (GM) soybean.

FSANZ CEO Mark Booth said the soybean has been genetically modified to be resistant to a range of pests and a herbicide and may be used in a range of products including soy flour, vegetable oils, and plant-based dairy and meat products.

“Before any GM food can be sold as a food in Australia and New Zealand, it must undergo a comprehensive pre-market safety assessment.

“The safety assessment looks at a range of factors, including any allergy risks or other unintended changes as a result of the genetic modification to ensure it is safe.

“Our safety assessment found there are no public health or safety risks from the GM soybean and that it is as safe as food derived from conventional soybeans.

“We have determined that these types of products, if approved, must be labelled as 'genetically modified' if there is novel DNA or protein present in the final food," Mr Booth said.

The period for comment closes 6:00pm (Canberra time) Tuesday 9 June 2020 – this has been extended from their regular consultation period of six weeks to give stakeholders more time to have their say in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any stakeholders experiencing difficulty meeting this deadline can contact standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au.

All FSANZ decisions are notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can request a review of the decision.