Food Law News - UK - 2023

FSA Board Paper (FSA 22-03-05), 9 March 2023

PRECISION BRED ORGANISMS - Board Paper: The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill: Consumer Information, Traceability and Developing Other Elements of the New Regulatory Framework for Precision-Bred Food and Animal Feed

FSA Board Paper: The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill: Consumer Information, Traceability and Developing Other Elements of the New Regulatory Framework for Precision-Bred Food and Animal Feed A copy of the web document (as a pdf file) is available on this site (click on image) Provided under the Open Government Licence. The original document was accessed from:here

This is the start of the Board Paper which will be discussed at the FSA Board Meeting on the 22 March 2023.

This paper provides an update to the Board on the delivery of the new regulatory framework, sets out considerations around traceability of PB food/feed, and seeks Board input in respect of consumer information on PB food.

1. Summary

1.1 At the time of writing the UK Government's Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill (“the Bill”) is at a late stage of its passage through Parliament.

1.2 The FSA continues work to develop a new regulatory framework for precision-bred organisms (PBOs) for use as food and animal feed in England (“PB food/feed”). This paper seeks Board input in respect of consumer information on PB food, sets out considerations and current thinking around the traceability of PB food/feed and provides an update on progress and an indicative timescale for delivery of the new regulatory framework.

1.3 The Board is invited to:

• Discuss the provision of consumer information on PB food and agree next steps.
• Note the considerations and current thinking on traceability for PB food/feed and the further work to be undertaken.
• Note the key proposed features of, and considerations in relation to, the public register of PBOs authorised for use as food/feed.
• Note the second statement on PBOs from the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) and the next steps in developing policy on a robust science-based pre-market authorisation system for PBOs for use as food/feed.
• Note the indicative timescale for the work being undertaken to develop and deliver the new regulatory framework and that continued resource from across the FSA will be needed to deliver this.

2. Introduction

2.1 With the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill at a late stage in its passage through Parliament, the FSA continues its work to design a proportionate regulatory framework for PBOs for use as food/feed in England. This will be taken forward through secondary legislation made by ministers exercising powers provided by the Bill.

2.2 Our overall objective is to build a new regulatory framework in England that will ensure that PBOs are at least as safe as their conventional counterparts before they can be authorised for placing on the market as food/feed. The new framework will be proportionate to the risks presented and must engender public trust that PBOs for use as food/feed are regulated effectively.

2.3 Section 1 of this paper discusses the recently published FSA research, ‘Consumer Perceptions of Precision Breeding’ and considerations around the provision of information to consumers about PB food.

2.4 Section 2 discusses considerations around traceability of PB food/feed taking into account existing legal requirements under General Food Law.

2.5 Section 3 outlines plans for the public register of authorised PBOs, discusses the second statement of the ACNFP on PBOs published on 23 January 2023 and outlines ongoing work and indicative timescales for developing a proportionate regulatory framework for the authorisation of PBOs produced for use as food/feed.