Ministry of Health, Administration of the Hygiene of Transgenic Food Procedures

Promulgated: April 8 2002
Effective: July 1 2002
Interpreting authority: Ministry of Health
Applicability: For the purposes of these Procedures, "transgenic food" means any food or food additive that is produced from animals, plants or microorganisms whose genetic structure has been changed by means of genetic engineering (Article 2).

Main contents: No transgenic food may be produced, imported or used as food or raw materials for food without prior approval by the Ministry of Health (MOH) (Article 3). A transgenic food expert panel shall be set up under MOH to be in charge of evaluation of transgenic food safety and nutritional quality (Article 9). Qualified inspection institutions will be accredited by MOH to verify evaluations of transgenic food safety and nutritional quality (Article 10). To apply for MOH approval, the applicant shall provide, among other things, an evaluation report on the safety and nutritional quality of the relevant transgenic food and a verification report on such evaluation (Article 11). Importers of transgenic food are further required to provide documents evidencing the approval of the governments of their home countries (regions) in respect of the production, distribution and use of the relevant transgenic food (Article 13).
Transgenic food shall be at least as safe and as nutritious as the corresponding non-transgenic food and shall carry labels that state their transgenic substances (Articles 5 and 16).
Related legislation: PRC, Food Hygiene Law, Oct 30 1995, CLP 1995 No.10 p8 and State Council, Administration of the Safety of Agricultural Transgenic Organisms Regulations, May 23 2001, CLP 2001 No.6 p14