Taiwan is to impose mandatory labelling for food products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as from 1 January 2003.


The new rules, which will apply to products containing 5% or more GM ingredients, will be implemented over a few years. Mandatory labelling for corn and soybeans products in the raw agricultural form, including flour, will begin as of 1 January 2003. Processed corn and soybean products will be added at two stages – 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2005.


The mandatory labelling does not apply to highly processed items such as soy sauce, soyoil, corn oil, corn syrup and cornstarch, reported Dow Jones Commodities Service.