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Last Updated: Nov 12th, 2006 - 20:38:00 |
June 8 (foodconsumer.org) - The U.S. government may soon have to review their genetically engineered food or genetically modified food on a mandatory basis, if a new lawsuit filed Wednesday proves successful.
The lawsuit, filed by the Center for Food Safety in U.S. District Court in Washington against the Food and Drug Administration, not only calls for a mandatory review of genetically modified food, but also requires sellers to label the food to buyers as such.
Genetically modified food, commonly referred to as biotech crops, may cause harm to consumers who eat the products, according to the consumer lobby group filing the lawsuit.
Although the FDA has issued no official statement on the lawsuit, CFS Legal Director Joseph Mendelson has stated, according to Reuters, "We think the FDA should be the gatekeeper and should require a mandatory process that has rigorous science behind it and public involvement and an actual approval process."
The United States currently has no requirement of biotech companies to test their products. If the lawsuit proves successful, CFS would be the first lobby group to require the FDA to check genetically engineered food.
"We're asking that once these products are on the market that they be labeled," Mendelson said, according to Reuters.
Common genetically modified foods include corn, canola, and soybeans. However, the United States has had a difficult time selling these products to Europe, due to complaints from the global community over health concerns.
The current lawsuit is not the first time CFS and other lobby groups have tried to produce change at the FDA. In 2000, the FDA was served with an official petition to adopt new review techniques of genetically modified foods by several lobby groups.
The petition did not change anything.
"There has been a conscious effort on the part of the FDA and the administration not to create any kind of regulatory burden for agricultural biotechnology," Mendelson said.
Tests showing genetically modified food may have a harmful effect have been ignored by the FDA, according to CFS. Some scientists believe this neglect is wrong.
For example, just a few months ago Australian scientists discovered that genes from a bean that was engineered into a pea plant created a potentially dangerous allergen.
Earlier, Russian scientists discovered mice fed genetically modified soybeans have a much higher death rate compared to those using a conventional soybean.
© 2004-2005 by foodconsumer.org unless otherwise specified
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