Legislative Background
Recent Action on Genetically Modified Foods
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has broad authority under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to regulate foods. The Act authorizes FDA to prohibit adulterated or misbranded foods from entering interstate commerce, to inspect foods and food facilities, and to ensure that foods are manufactured under appropriate conditions and are properly labeled. The Act also requires that "food additives" not be marketed unless they have received approval from FDA. But substances added to foods that are considered "generally recognized as safe" do not need approval. In 1992, FDA determined that bioengineered foods do not raise substantially different…
