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Similar
to Obesity, Biotech Weighs on Kraft |
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Chicago - From July 12 -20, Chicago will become the epicenter of a dangerous and controversial trend in the 500 billion dollar-a-year food industry. The upcoming conferences – the International Food Technologist’s annual meeting and the World Food Congress – will once again return the issue of genetically engineered (GE) food to the forefront of debates about food. In response to the conferences, Genetically Engineered Food Alert, the coalition that discovered StarLink corn in the food supply, asserted in a letter to Kraft (KFT-NYSE) sent today that genetically engineered foods pose significant risks to public health. Three of the most serious risks are that genetically engineered foods could trigger allergic reactions, contain toxins, and that experimental crops might contaminate the food supply as StarLink did three years ago. “Genetically engineered ingredients are a liability for food companies,” said Larry Bohlen, director of Health and Environment Programs at Friends of the Earth. “The StarLink contamination cost the food industry hundreds of millions of dollars. Future lawsuits resulting from the health effects of GE foods could be even more devastating to Kraft and other food companies.” In 2000, StarLink, a variety of genetically engineered biotech (Bt) corn not approved for human consumption, contaminated the food supply in 2000 and led to a recall of over 300 products. Scientists are concerned that other genetically engineered crops may be allergens. Scientific advisors to the Environmental Protection Agency have even stated that all Bt crops, which make up 30 percent of U.S. corn produced, may be allergenic. Experts estimate that from 2 percent to 2.5 percent of the general population, or 5.4 million to 7 million Americans have food allergies. A food allergy is the leading cause of anaphylaxis outside the hospital setting, accounting for an estimated 30,000 emergency room visits and 2,000 hospitalizations each year. Earlier this year Kraft’s CEO, Betsy Holden, stated that a trace amount of an allergen “could be extremely deadly,” according to the Congress Daily. She also stated, “Both share the same issue—the risk of commingling with the food supply, the same problem that led to the recall…of our Taco Bell products that were adulterated with StarLink corn.” “Just as Kraft’s recent actions on obesity may help protect it against future lawsuits, sourcing non-genetically engineered ingredients now may help the company avoid lawsuits related to health effects of genetically engineered ingredients in the future,” said Kate Madigan of the National Association of State PIRGs. “Removing genetically engineered ingredients would be a win-win situation for Kraft and its consumers.” Some food companies are already making moves to keep engineered ingredients from their products. According to an April 22 Washington Post article, "food companies have been killing smaller biotech crops like potatoes and sugar beets for several years. Knowledgeable people say the food companies have essentially told Monsanto they will try to kill Roundup Ready wheat if the company moves forward...” To find this release and other materials online, visit: www.foe.org/safefood For more information about GE Food Alert, visit: www.gefoodalert.org or www.krafty.org Genetically Engineered Food Alert, a coalition of health, consumer and environmental groups, supports the removal of genetically engineered ingredients from grocery store shelves unless they are adequately safety tested and labeled. Genetically Engineered Food Alert founding members include: Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, National Environmental Trust, Organic Consumers Association, Pesticide Action Network North America, and the State Public Interest Research Groups. The campaign is endorsed by more than 250 scientists, religious leaders, doctors, chefs, environmental and health leaders as well as farm groups.
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