The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ruled that the new genetically modified strains of food do not need special labeling (thus many are unknowingly eating genetically modified foods). The FDA currently requires no labeling because it believes that genetically modified foods are not significantly different than hybrids developed by cross breeding.
Genetically modified foods are different, however, from hybrids. Whereas many hybrids are the results of crossing two or more varieties of the same species, genetically modified foods do not need to be. Actually, it is believed to be possible to insert the gene of an animal (or a different species of plant) into a plant in order to make a genetically modified plant, such cannot occur with normal hybrids: "Potatoes may be spliced with chicken genes, tomatoes spliced with fish genes, corn spliced with 'virus' genes, pigs spliced with human genes. Bacteria, insect, and animal combinations and various plant combinations produced. Manufacturers can sell bioengineered foods without [adequate] safety testing or disclosure.
No comments:
Post a Comment