I am just curious -- is there a known threshold at which this substance
causes allergic reactions, and how much of it was found in the taco shells?
Bill
At 05:11 PM 9/19/00 -0700, you wrote:
>No need to editorialize ...just read this release.
>
>===========================================
>P A N U P S
>Pesticide Action Network Updates Service
>===========================================
>Illegal GE Corn Found in Taco Shells
>
>September 19, 2000
>
>Genetically Engineered Food Alert, a coalition of health, consumer
>and environmental groups, demanded that taco shells marketed using
>the Taco Bell name be immediately removed from grocery store shelves
>across the country. In independent testing, a sample of the taco
>shells was found to contain a form of genetically engineered corn
>not approved for direct human consumption.
>
>Test results obtained by Genetically Engineered Food Alert member
>group Friends of the Earth from an independent laboratory indicate
>the presence of Cry9C corn, a variety of genetically engineered corn
>not approved for direct human consumption, in Taco Bell taco shells
>sold at grocery stores. Cry9C, a plant pesticide marketed by Aventis
>under the name of StarLink, is currently deemed fit only for animal
>consumption by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
>Aventis has applied for an exemption to this restriction even though
>the EPA has warned that Aventis' data indicate "that Cry9C exhibits
>some characteristics of known allergens." Cry9C was found to be heat
>stabile and resistant to stomach acids and enzymes, indicating that
>it could be a potential allergen. Possible health effects of this
>category of allergen, which may include nausea and anaphylactic
>shock, are not currently known due to a lack of adequate testing by
>government and industry.
>
>"According to the tests, Taco Bell and Philip Morris have used a
>genetically engineered ingredient that could put the health of their
>customers at risk," said Larry Bohlen, Health and Environment
>Programs Director at Friends of the Earth. The taco shells tested
>were distributed by Kraft, a subsidiary of Philip Morris, under the
>name Taco Bell. "Consumers need to know whether this is just the tip
>of the iceberg."
>
>Friends of the Earth also plans to submit taco shells from Taco Bell
>restaurants for testing.
>
>A lawyer for Genetically Engineered Food Alert filed a letter with
>the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on behalf of the
>coalition calling upon the Agency to recall the adulterated taco
>shells, as permitted under law, if the manufacturer does not
>implement a voluntary recall.
>
>"This is a legal violation and FDA clearly has the authority to
>seize the product if Taco Bell and Philip Morris do not recall it,"
>said Joseph Mendelson, Center for Food Safety legal director.
>
>The coalition also requested that the FDA move swiftly to test for
>the presence of Cry9C corn in all products containing non-organic
>yellow corn #2, the grade of corn to which Cry9C belongs. According
>to the American Corn Growers Association, only 9% of the
>conventional corn crop was segregated from genetically engineered
>corn in 1999. Products made with yellow corn #2 may include many
>varieties of tortillas, breakfast cereals, corn chips, frozen TV
>dinners such as enchiladas and corn meal.
>
>Members of the Genetically Engineered Food Alert condemned the
>presence of the genetically engineered ingredient on grocery store
>shelves, as indicated by the test results, as a failure of the FDA
>to provide adequate oversight of food biotechnology corporations and
>food producers. The FDA is empowered by the Federal Food, Drug and
>Cosmetic Act to protect the public against genetically engineered
>plant pesticides, such as the particular kind of corn containing
>Cry9C, that are not approved by the Environmental Protection Agency
>(EPA).
>
>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.
>
>Genetically Engineered Food Alert supports the removal of
>genetically engineered ingredients from grocery store shelves unless
>they are adequately safety tested and labeled. The campaign provides
>web-based opportunities for individuals to express concern about
>genetically engineered food and fact sheets on health, environmental
>and economic information about genetically engineered food. The
>campaign is endorsed by more than 250 scientists, religious leaders,
>doctors, chefs, environmental and health leaders, as well as farm
>groups.
>
>The recall letters to Taco Bell and Philip Morris, the formal
>petition to the FDA, test results, as well as fact sheets on
>genetically engineered Cry9C corn, the regulatory history of Cry9C,
>and on the laboratory testing protocol are located on the
>Genetically Engineered Food Alert Web site at
>http://www.gefoodalert.org/recall
>
>Source: Genetic Engineering Food Alert press release, September 18,
>2000.
>
>Contact: Friends of the Earth, 1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Third Floor,
>Washington DC 20005-6303; phone (202) 783-7400; fax (202) 783-0444;.
>http://www.foe.org
>
>PANUPS is a weekly email news service providing resource guides and
>reporting on pesticide issues that don't always get coverage by the
>mainstream media. It's produced by Pesticide Action Network North
>America, a non-profit and non-governmental organization working to
>advance sustainable alternatives to pesticides worldwide.
>
>You can join our efforts! We gladly accept donations for our work
>and all contributions are tax deductible in the United States. Visit
>our extensive web site at http://www.panna.org to learn more about
>getting involved.
>
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****************************************
William J. McKinney, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chairperson
Department of Philosophy and Religion
MS4200
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
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voice: 573-651-2818
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