From: brian yungman [naturallyhi1117@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 1:36 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: re: dockets 00N-1396 and 00D-1598

> 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,

Brian Yungman
New York City

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