This news was just released from our trade association, TLMI. Regardless of your feeling about GMOs in foods, it is nice to have some level of clarity about future label requirements. Please call us if you have questions:
FDA Makes Announcements on BPA and GMOs
Bisphenol-A (BPA) – After an additional 4 years of analyzing roughly 300 studies, the FDA as reaffirmed its position that BPA is safe for use in food and beverage packaging. They will continue to review studies as they are issued by the scientific community, but another major decision from the Agency on its safety for packaging is not scheduled to occur. Industry stakeholders and the health/environmental community had been awaiting this decision for some time.
GMOs – At a Congressional hearing yesterday, the FDA stated that all science available indicates that use of GMOs for food production is also safe. They have a slightly better history with GMOs, as they have been regulated and monitored since their inception, whereas, BPA has been in use for 60 plus years, and the Agency had a lot of catching up to do.
Also, in contrast to BPA, there appears to be little political divide on GMO safety and labeling requirements. Top Democrats have expressed concern that even labeling of GMOs may cause more confusion then anything else, and give the impression that the federal government believes they are dangerous.
Impact for TLMI Members – Or maybe we should say, “lack of impact”..both of these decisions will make it much more difficult for state legislators to implement either bans, or even labeling requirements, reducing potential customer and supplier burdens to TLMI member companies. That being said, we anticipate that in 2015 a handful of state legislators around the country will introduce bills touching on either BPA or GMO requirements. We will keep you informed as they do.