WASHINGTON (AP) -- Aventis Corp. suspended sales Tuesday of a variety of
genetically engineered corn that is not approved for human consumption.
Kraft Foods recalled millions of packages of taco shells on Friday after
tests showed that some were made with an Aventis corn variety known as
StarLink. Aventis said it would stop selling the corn until the
Environmental Protection Agency approves its use in food.
The company, based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., issued a statement
saying it had stopped sales to reassure the public that the corn was being
kept out of food.
Kraft recalled the taco shells that it sells in stores under the Taco Bell
name. Taco Bell Corp. said it is similarly replacing all of the shells in
their restaurants later this week.
The corn, which contains a bacterium gene that makes it toxic to an insect
pest, is the only genetically engineered crop not approved for food use.
The corn is allowed only in animal feed because of unresolved questions
about whether it causes allergic reactions in humans.
In a letter Monday to federal regulators, the Biotechnology Industry
Organization agreed that farmers shouldn't be allowed to grow a crop that
isn't approved for food use. That was one of four recommendations that
Kraft made to the Food and Drug Administration in announcing the recall on
Friday.
Aventis is a member of the biotechnology organization.
The biotech group, which represents more than 900 companies, research
institutions and affiliated organizations, said that ``consumer confidence
in the safety of all food products must be our first and only priority.''
The group also backed Kraft's other recommendations, including one calling
for mandatory review of all new biotech crops, something the FDA itself
proposed in May, and another urging the government not to approve new crops
unless there is a proven method of testing for their genetic material.
``As the science develops, refinements to the regulatory process may be
necessary and desirable to keep pace with the science and to continue to
provide for the safety of the food supply,'' the letter said.
FDA officials say they are considering Kraft's recommendations but are
confident the existing regulations are working to protect public health.
They have said there is no known health risk from the corn used in the tacos.
