GMOs and Novel Food in Swiss Law

GMOs in Swiss Law

Switzerland applies a strict regime regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food.

The GMO Cultivation Moratorium

Since 2005, Switzerland has imposed a moratorium on the cultivation of GMOs for agricultural purposes, extended several times. This moratorium prohibits the release of GMOs intended for agricultural use but does not prevent scientific research.

Import of GMO-Containing Foods

The import of foodstuffs containing GMOs is permitted in Switzerland, provided that:

1. The GMO in question is authorised by the FSVO
2. The food is correctly labelled
3. Tolerance thresholds are respected

GMO Labelling

Foods containing GMOs must bear the statement "produced from GMOs" or "contains GMOs" once the content exceeds 0.9% (tolerance threshold for adventitious and technically unavoidable presence).

Novel Foods

Authorisation Procedure

Novel foods -- foodstuffs that were not consumed to a significant degree before 15 May 1997 -- must be authorised before being placed on the Swiss market. Applications are submitted to the FSVO, which evaluates product safety.

Categories of Novel Food

The following are considered novel food: insect-based foods (three species authorised in Switzerland since 2017), new algae, foods produced using new technologies, and non-traditional plant extracts.

Cultured Meat

Laboratory-cultured meat (in vitro meat) is not yet authorised in Switzerland and would require a full novel food authorisation procedure before any commercialisation.