Regulation of GE Foods

[EWerb at aol.com]

GMO warriors, and peacenicks-

we had a nice little teach in on Saturday and we inspired a bunch of folks 
there to take action

As our campaign develops, we aim to serve as a GMO speaker bureau for 
presenting to other groups...let's find some folks to share our stuff 
with...help empty nancy's car of all that good literature...

and look how we got all these groups fired up to petition FDA -
===========================================

P A N U P S

Pesticide Action Network Updates Service

===========================================

Support Legal Action to Strengthen U.S. FDA Regulation of GE Foods


April 9, 2000


Coalition Files Legal Action with U.S. FDA for Regulation of GE Foods


A coalition of more than 50 consumer, environmental, scientific, farm and

health groups including the Pesticide Action Network North America filed a

legal petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late

March 2000 demanding establishment of stringent pre-market safety testing

regulations for genetically engineered foods (GE foods). The legal action

aims to replace the FDA's current voluntary and informal consultation

guidelines on GE foods.


The submission of the petition has created an official rule making docket

that allows the public to write in and support the action. A spokeswoman for

the FDA said the agency would review the petition and "carefully consider"

it. The FDA is still analyzing some 25,000 public comments it received after

a series of public hearings in November and December 1999 on genetically

modified foods, she said.


The FDA's current policy makes no distinction between GE foods and foods

bred using traditional methods, and requires neither pre-market safety

testing and monitoring nor labeling of GE foods. The coalition's petition

establishes the legal requirements and scientific reasoning FDA should

utilize in establishing a new regulatory system for the review of GE foods.


The coalition is concerned that GE foods are currently being sold or

commercially developed without any mandatory government oversight such as

pre-market safety testing or labeling. GE foods currently on the market

include potatoes, tomatoes, soy, corn, squash and other fruits and

vegetables. These foods are engineered to use new genes from different

species, viruses and bacteria, and pose potential new health risks such as

creation of new allergens, increased toxicity and altered nutritional

levels. GE foods are now used as ingredients in processed foods and are

present in a number of mass-consumed food products from major soy-based baby

formulas to some of the most popular brands of corn chips.


"Labeling and testing are vital given the potential health risks that are

associated with GE foods. The most pressing health concern involves the

impact of inserting genes into fruits, vegetables and other food products,"

said Dr. Martha Herbert, pediatric neurologist and vice-president of the

Council for Responsible Genetics. "With each gene insertion there is the

possibility that a nontoxic element in the food could become toxic and

create a human health hazard."


The creation of new food allergies is another major health concern posed by

genetically engineered foods. Many GE foods contain proteins that have

previously never been present in the human food supply. Under the current

FDA "non-labeling" policy, those suffering from food allergies have no way

of knowing they are consuming GE foods or how to avoid this potential new

source of food allergy. Health professionals are also concerned that the

mass consumption of GE foods, most of which contain genetic material

resistant to antibiotics, could eventually make treating infections more

difficult.


Action -- Tell FDA to establish stringent pre-market safety testing

regulations for genetically engineered foods (GE foods). Send comments to:


Commissioner Jane Henney

FDA Dockets Management Branch

5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061 (HFA-305)

Rockville, MD 20852


RE: Docket No. 00P-1211/CP1 and

RE: Docket No. 99N-4282


Visit the Center for Food Safety Web site to see a sample letter at

http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org and to send comments via email.


Source: Center for Food Safety press release, March 21, 2000.


Contact: Center for Food Safety, 666 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, Suite 302,

Washington DC, 20003; phone (202) 547-9359; fax (202) 547-9429; email

office at centerforfoodsafety.org; Web site http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org.


===========================================

NOTE: Replies to the sender of this message

will not be read.


To comment, send a message to:

panna at panna.org


To subscribe, send a blank message to:

panups-subscribe at igc.topica.com


To unsubscribe, send a blank message to:

panups-unsubscribe at igc.topica.com


Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)

49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA

Phone: (415) 981-1771

Fax: (415) 981-1991

Email: panna at panna.org

Web: http://www.panna.org

===========================================