“This is a terrible day for American consumers-the government
has failed to protect their health and their interests,” said
Kimberly Wilson, a Greenpeace Genetic Engineering Campaigner in San
Francisco. “While the rest of the world is moving to label genetic
foods, U.S. consumers are still denied free choice in the grocery
store. Americans deserve to know what’s in their food, yet FDA is
working with industry to keep genetic engineering a secret
ingredient.” Last week, a report by the Consumer Federation of
America echoed Greenpeace’s calls for mandatory labeling of all
genetically engineered food.
Labeling of genetically engineered foods is required throughout
Europe, and in Japan, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and other
countries.
Food makers do not have to inform consumers if their products
contain genetically engineered ingredients under the new FDA
policy. FDA will allow gene-altered foods on the market without
long- term safety tests for effects in the diet or the
environment.
A new Greenpeace report, Genetically Engineered Food: Still
Unlabeled and Untested, 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.
Doctors and scientists warn that genetically engineered foods
could trigger allergies, have increased levels of toxins, or could
hasten the spread of antibiotic resistance. The medical journal the
Lancet has stated: “It is astounding that FDA has not changed their
stance on genetically modified food…. Governments should never have
allowed these products into the food chain without insisting on
rigorous testing for effects on health.”
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,” added Wilson. “We labeled genetically
engineered food to give consumers a fighting chance when they go to
the store.”
