Two industry associations have applauded the FDA’s decision to deny mandatory GMO labeling. Both the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food (CFSAF) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association have noted that in its decision, the agency has “stood up for sound science.”
“The FDA made the right decision for the right reasons,” says Pamela Bailey, president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. “[The agency stood] with sound science and [recognized] that the world’s most respected and authoritative scientific and regulatory bodies have repeatedly found genetically engineered ingredients to be safe.”
“We applaud the FDA for standing up for sound science by opposing mandatory GMO labeling that would mislead consumers and drive up food costs,” adds the CFSAF.
This ruling was sparked by a citizen petition submitted on behalf of the Center for Food Safety that asked the FDA to mandate the labeling of foods from genetically engineered sources. In its comments, the FDA said the petition did not provide evidence that foods derived from genetically engineered plant varieties differ from those derived from their non-genetically engineered counterparts “in any meaningful or uniform way.”
It also added that consumer interest in the labeling of GE foods does not provide a “sufficient basis” to require these labels.
