Kraft to Be Target of Anti-Biotech Campaign
An anti-biotech coalition will single out Kraft Foods products containing genetically modified ingredients in a bid to discourage use of the controversial but legal components.
By Ameet Sachdev
Chicago Tribune, February 6, 2002

The Washington-based group, Genetically Engineered Food Alert, will launch one of its largest consumer campaigns Wednesday, targeting Northfield-based Kraft because its products, including Oscar Mayer meats, Post cereals and Oreo cookies, are found in nearly every American household.

The effort against Kraft, dubbed "Genetically Krafted Foods: Not in My Kitchen," will include news conferences and supermarket demonstrations in 170 cities, including Chicago.

A key part of the campaign: naming Kraft products that the group says its testing has shown contain genetically engineered food products.

"Kraft should be a leader by removing genetically engineered ingredients from its products," said Kate Madigan, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, a member of the coalition. "Without proper safety testing and labeling of genetically engineered foods, Kraft has us walking blindfolded through our own kitchens."
Kraft's response: Our products are safe.

"The [Food and Drug Administration], the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization have all looked closely at biotech ingredients and concluded that they're safe," said Kraft spokesman Michael Mudd. "If we believed there is any risk to those ingredients, you can be sure they wouldn't be in our products."

This isn't the first time Kraft has come under pressure from the coalition. The group was responsible for research that led to the company's 2000 recall of Taco Bell taco shells containing StarLink, a genetically altered corn approved for animals but not humans. Other companies later recalled products that also contained the corn variety.

The incident emboldened biotech critics who have argued that not enough is known about the long-term effects of gene-spliced foods on human health and the environment.

Nevertheless, foodmakers have resisted previous calls to remove genetically modified ingredients from their products, claiming it would be nearly impossible to separate biotech corn and soy from the rest of the food supply. They also have encountered little backlash from American consumers.

"But the more biotech foods are talked about, the more they become an issue," said Paul Crnkovich, a partner at Cannondale Associates, a consultant to the food industry. "Any company is going to pay close attention to consumer perceptions and act accordingly."