There is international consensus among national food safety authorities and the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the World Health Organisation that GM food approved for sale in the international market is safe for human consumption. GM food has been available for more than a decade, and there has not been any report on adverse health effects based on credible scientific studies.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) requires GM food intended for sale in Singapore to be subject to rigorous assessment and approval in the developed countries.

On labelling, there is international agreement that labelling regimes are not a substitute for pre-market safety assessments.

However, there is no consensus on the labelling of GM food and food ingredients to address consumer preferences.

Many countries adopt the view that GM labelling need not be made mandatory, as there is no substantial difference between GM food and its conventional counterparts.

Singapore's position on GM food labelling is in line with international requirements. As mandatory labelling of GM food is currently not an international practice, making it compulsory will curtail sources of supply and increase food prices. Nevertheless, the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee and AVA will continue to monitor international developments closely to ensure labelling requirements are up to date. We work closely with the international Codex Committee on Food Labelling to develop acceptable guidelines on labelling of GM food.

We thank Mr Seah for this opportunity to clarify the matter. He can contact AVA on 6325-7625 if he needs further clarification.

Tan Kim Ping (Ms)
Secretariat
For Chairman
Genetic Modification Advisory Committee

Goh Shih Yong
Assistant Director, Corporate Communications
For CEO, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority