Safety of GM foods


Food Standards Australia New Zealand

In Australia, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is responsible for developing, varying, reviewing and approving food standards that apply to both Australia and New Zealand.

All GM food sold in Australia must pass a thorough and rigorous safety assessment by FSANZ to gain approval for use. The safety assessments are based on all currently available data and if any safety concerns arise, the food will not be permitted in the food supply.

FSANZ will only approve genetically modified foods if they are as safe as their conventional counterparts, with no change in nutritional value. To date, 24 GM foods have been approved for use in Australia and New Zealand.

A GM food can only be permitted for use in Australia if:

  • it has been assessed by FSANZ
  • is found to be safe
  • has been approved by FSANZ.

FSANZ's safety assessment process for genetically modified foods is based on concepts and principles developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

These principles require the cautious use of scientific, risk-based assessment methods and assessments on a case-by-case basis. The principles also require consideration of the genetic material and proteins introduced into the food and the intended and unintended effects of the genetic modification, such as changes to nutrient levels. They also require comparisons with any conventionally produced, unmodified version of an individual GM food, to look for changed characteristics.

FSANZ's safety guidelines are based on world best-practice standards.

All companies, both from Australia and overseas, must, by law, comply with Australian regulations before they can sell genetically modified products in Australia. Using FSANZ guidelines, information supplied by companies, and world scientific literature, FSANZ's experts assess the characteristics of GM foods to determine if they have been changed in any way that might make them unsafe.

The approval process for GM food is as follows.

  1. An initial safety assessment report is prepared by FSANZ experts and approved by the FSANZ Board.
  2. First round of public comment follows.
  3. All submissions are collated and analysed.
  4. A Draft Assessment Report is prepared and approved by FSANZ Board.
  5. A second round of public comment follows.
  6. All submissions are collated and analysed and a Final Assessment Report is prepared.
  7. FSANZ Board approves the GM food and notifies the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (ANZFRMC) of its decision prior to its gazettal. ANZFRMC can then request a review or allow it to be gazetted.

The process to final assessment can take approximately 12 months, but is subject to decision or review by the Ministerial Council. Each state and territory government is responsible for administering the enforcement of the food standards.

For more detailed information on FSANZ and food regulation visit the FSANZ web site: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au

Getting the right stamp - work sheet [PDF 36kb | 2 pages]