Bill > S1367

This bill requires that any food product sold in New Jersey that contains more than one percent genetically modified material, meaning it has been altered through genetic engineering or bioengineering, must be clearly labeled to indicate this. The "Commissioner" refers to the head of the Department of Health and Senior Services, which is the state agency responsible for enforcing these labeling requirements. "Food" is broadly defined to include anything consumable by humans or animals, as well as food ingredients, but specifically excludes chewing gum. If a genetically modified food product is not labeled as such, it will be considered misbranded, and the Commissioner can order corrections to the label, with penalties for non-compliance. The Department will establish specific rules and regulations, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to define how to measure and quantify genetically modified material in various types of food, from raw produce to highly processed items, and these rules will guide the labeling process, which will take effect six months after the bill is passed.