According to SeafoodMedia on January 11, the New Labeling Rules for Genetically Modified Foods issued by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) goes into effect, and from January 1, 2022, food previously labeled as "GMO Engineering" or containing "GMO" or "GM" will be changed.

In an effort to unify the disparate labelling systems for genetically modified foods and replace state-specific rules on label disclosure for these products, USDA now requires these foods to be labeled "bioengineered." They may also carry QR codes or phone numbers to help consumers find more information online or over the phone.

At present, some foods on the market are genetically modified products, including apples, rapeseed, corn, eggplant, papaya, pineapple, potatoes and salmon. Most vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and beans are free of genetically modified ingredients.

The new rules require food manufacturers, retailers and importers to disclose whether their food contains bioengineered ingredients, and "genetically modified" will no longer appear on labels.

Other types of official certifications such as "Non-GMO Project Certification" and "USDA Organic Certification" will still be allowed. Dietary supplement manufacturers must also comply with the new labeling rule. However, restaurants and other foodservice businesses are not required to comply with it.

The USDA says the "bioengineered" food labelling standard is designed to deliver the necessary information to consumers while minimizing costs for companies. The USDA sets some margin for error in the standard, setting the "accidental" presence of bioengineered ingredients to a 5% float. It means that highly processed foods made from GM crops, such as candy, cooking oils and soda, will be exempt from this rule if they contain less than 5% bioengineered ingredients,. By comparison, the EU's standard for "accidental" presence of bioengineered ingredients is 0.9%.