From: david bergstein [davidbstein@juno.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 7:10 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov

Dear FDA Commissioner,
>
>The proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations fail to
>require labels or safety tests on genetically engineered (GE) food. The
>new rules continue to deny Americans the right to know what is in our
>food, while protecting the economic interests of biotech corporations.
>
>Labeling GE foods would protect the public from potential hazardous
>health effects such as food allergies and toxicity that can only be traced
>if GE foods can be identified. By refusing to require both labeling and
>mandatory pre-market safety testing of foods, the FDA puts consumer's
>health at risk, ignores possible environmental hazards, and fails to
>satisfy
>the overwhelming desire of American consumers to exercise freedom
>of choice in the marketplace.
>
>It is not enough to require that firms simply notify you of their intent to
>market a food produced with genetic engineering; this is no substitute for
>thorough pre-market safety testing. The proposed "voluntary labeling"
>guidelines will do nothing to inform consumers of the presence of
>genetically engineered ingredients in their food, because biotech companies
>and food manufacturers have vehemently opposed labeling in the past and
>will
>not voluntarily label their foods in the future.
>
>Therefore, I urge you to keep all genetically engineered ingredients and
>crops off the market unless or until:
>
>1) Independent safety testing demonstrates they have no harmful effects
>on human health or the environment;
>
>2) They are labeled to ensure consumers¹ right-to-know; and
>
>3) The biotechnology corporations that produce them are held responsible
>for any harms they may cause.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
David Bergstein