Regarding genetically manipulated (Bt) sweet corn: every cell of the corn
plant contains a gene that causes the cell to produce a toxin that kills
certain insect larvae. The gene is from a bacterium called Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt). This bacterium is related to other bacteria that cause food
poisoning in humans. Although humans are said not to have the receptor that
would make them sick from ingesting Bt toxin, I personally do not want to be a
guinea pig in a giant experiment to confirm this.
I do not want Bt sweet corn to be marketed, but if it is, it should be
labeled so that consumers have the choice of whether or not to eat sweet corn
that has been genetically engineered to produce its own insecticide.--Tom
In a message dated 3/28/2012 3:22:35 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-pink-slime-safety-20120328,0
,946287.story
Social media turn up heat on food industry
(EDITED)
This week Beef Products Inc. announced the temporary shutdown of three of
its four plants that produce a chemically treated recovered beef dubbed pink
slime. Public outcry from consumers, parents and school district
officials, triggered by YouTube videos and online petitions, drove industry and
government to respond.
The website Change.org hosted a petition by mom urging the USDA to stop
buying the beef for school lunches.
In 10 days she made the USDA, the meat industry and major retailers all
back away from it.
Other food campaigns galvanized Wal-Mart to refuse genetically modified
sweet corn.
Gary Hirshberg, CEO of Stonyfield Organic, is one of the organizers of
Just Label It, a campaign that's urging the FDA to label genetically modified
foods. "I can tell you the White House is watching," he said of the Just
Label It petition that has gathered more than 1 million supporters. "I've had
meetings with folks there including the president and the first lady, and
when I sit down, it's clear they have been tracking when the numbers got to
400, 500 and 600,000. I've never seen any period like this before."
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