The New York Times / May 8, 2000 / By ANDREW KIMBRELL
Last week's announcement of new regulations on genetically engineered food is bad news for consumers. Under the rules, detailed by the Food and Drug Administration, companies that use genetically engineered foods will not have to label a single product. Instead, food producers may voluntarily label foods as free from genetic engineering.
This voluntary labeling plan does nothing to help consumers, and puts the burden on the wrong food producers. Those not using genetic engineering will be the ones who must certify, test and label their foods. Many companies will not want, or be able to, incur the expense and liability of labeling. With no mandatory labeling, and only sporadic voluntary labeling, consumers will still be in the dark on which foods have been genetically engineered.
The voluntary approach also has health consequences. Health professionals will not know if an allergic or other adverse reaction was the result of genetically engineered food. Consumers will also be deprived of the critical knowledge they need to hold food producers liable, should any of these novel foods prove to be hazardous.
Polls show that nearly 90 percent of consumers want labeling of biotech foods. Tens of thousands of consumers have written to the F.D.A. in recent months demanding mandatory labeling. It's time for the Clinton administration to listen to the public and order the labeling of all genetically engineered foods.
(posted without permission)
