Fw: [CH] OT: food labeling
Frank Francisco (francisco_@prodigy.net)
Tue, 13 Feb 2001 00:30:27 -0500
Such is true; however, it is inevitable. Probably for the best. A minor
drop in the bucket compared to the day when humans are genetically
engineered. This is also inevitable. Say the year 3001 or later?
Frank
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rael64" <raelsixty4@earthlink.net>
To: <chile-heads@globalgarden.com>; <chefs@foodcircle.org>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2001 6:35 PM
Subject: [CH] OT: food labeling
> Forgive Me, El Grande, Chefs/Cooks, and Whomever else I send this to, as I
> must Sin:
>
> (ahem...)
> -------
> FDA's Policy on Genetically Engineered Food: Don't Ask, Don't Tell!
> FDA fails to require testing and labeling of gene-altered food despite
> medical and scientific warnings
>
> When you go shopping, you want to know what's in your food. You probably
> avoid certain foods by checking labels.
>
> But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a policy that
keeps
> genetic engineering a secret ingredient in your food! Under the policy,
> Americans will still be eating untested genetically engineered (GE) foods
> against their will, since the new rules don't require labeling or any
> pre-market safety testing of gene altered crops.
>
> Americans overwhelmingly support mandatory labels on GE food, yet FDA has
> sided with the chemical companies that make GE foods over consumer and
> environmental protection. FDA has ignored doctors and scientists who warn
> that genetically engineered foods could trigger dangerous allergies,
change
> the nutritional value of foods, and cause irreversible harm to the
> environment.
>
> The new policy is outlined in two documents. One outlines non-binding
> guidelines for "voluntary labeling" of GE food. These guidelines will
deny
> consumer choice, since food companies that use GE ingredients will not
> label their products. Even worse, FDA is making it more difficult for
food
> producers who avoid GE food to label their non-GE products.
>
> The other document is a proposed "notification" rule that would require
> biotech companies to inform the agency before putting a new GE food on the
> market. Yet this rule continues FDA's policy that fails to require any
> safety testing of GE foods.
>
> In Europe, Japan, Russia, Australia, South Korea and other countries,
> genetically engineered foods must be labeled. It may not be long before
> the U.S. is the only country that does not require labeling of GE food!
>
> A new Greenpeace report, Genetically Engineered Food: Still Unlabeled and
> Untested (150 KB pdf file), has found that only three health studies on
> genetically engineered foods have been published in peer-reviewed
journals.
> None of these met scientists' recommendations that gene altered foods be
> tested for 90 days, nor did they meet the FDA's own testing requirements
> for food additives that would require, in some cases, up to two years
> multiple feeding studies. The biotech company studies that FDA relies on
> to assess new altered crops are generally not submitted for peer review
and
> not available for public scrutiny.
>
> Last fall, Greenpeace released the True Food Shopping List, a detailed
> report of thousands of foods made with genetically engineered ingredients.
> "FDA has refused to require labels, so Greenpeace took action," said
> Greenpeace campaigner Kimberly Wilson. "We labeled genetically engineered
> food to give consumers a fighting chance when they go to the store."
>
> Don't let FDA keep you in the dark about your food! Tell FDA that
> consumers have a right to know what is in our food!
>
> LINK: http://www.truefoodnow.org/bin/takeaction.pl?action_id=29
>
> -------END SHAMELESS SPAM-LIKE MESSAGE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE-------
>
> All threats, flames, und so weiter send to me off list, bitte...
>
>
> Peace, Hendrix, Chiles, and may the next 4 years fly by w/o the
destruction
> of the environment.......
>
> Rael64
>
> Rael64
> Monk of the TCS
> Order of Immaculate Twister
> In El Grande's Name...Left Foot Blue, Baby