Sri Lanka introduces new regulation for genetically engineered food imports

Details of amendments to the Food (Control of Import, Labelling and Sale of Genetically Modified Foods) 2006 regulations were published in the government’s official gazette on 23 June, the Sri Lanka Enacts New Regulation on Genetically Engineered Food Imports report said.

As per the new regulation, food which contains or has genetically modified organisms (GE) or materials less than 0.9% is exempt from requiring the Chief Food Authority’s approval for importing or mandatory labelling.

This compared with the 2006 regulations, which required food and agricultural products with a GE content higher than 0.5%m to have prior approval to import from the country’s Food Control Administration as well as mandatory labelling of the GE content on packaging, the 16 August report said.

“The change in GE acceptance threshold level from 0.5% to 0.9% will facilitate exports of US-origin non-GE soyabean and non-GE corn (maize) or any other agricultural or food product, as they can now be imported without prior approval from the Chief Food Authority and mandatory labelling,” the USDA said.

Tags: food imports, GE, genetically modified organisms, genetically engineered, non-GE soyabean, non-GE corn, импорт, agricultural products, regulations, Sri Lanka