---------- From: "Jim Riddle" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 19:35:55 -0800 To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:@ultra.hbci.com;> Subject: Interesting articles to pass on USA: CONSUMERS WANT ENGINEERED FOOD LABELED FDA REPORTS February 13, Washington Post Staff Writer Consumers want mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods and feel "outrage" when they learn how many supermarket products already are produced through biotechnology, according to a Food and Drug Administration report. The internal report, which was commissioned by the agency to gauge sentiment about its proposals for voluntary labeling, said that consumers are concerned about possible long-term environmental and health effects of genetically modified foods. "Virtually all participants said that bioengineered foods should be labeled as such so that they could tell whether a given food was a product of the new technology," said the report, which is based on focus groups conducted last year. "They thought it would allow them to make more informed decisions about whether or not to buy a product." Joseph A. Levitt, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said the focus group report showed that food biotechnology is a hot-button issue for many consumers, and that they want more information about it. But he said the FDA did not consider mandatory labeling to be scientifically necessary or legally possible. The agency concluded in 1992 that genetically engineered foods are substantially equivalent to conventional products. The FDA conducted its 12 focus groups in four different cities in the spring. The report, which had not been made public previously, was released by Richard Caplan of U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a consumer watchdog group. Back to top <mhtml:mid://00000014/#top> USA: SCIENTISTS LAUNCH GM FOOD DEBATE SITE 16 February, American Association for the Advancement of Science A Web-based forum has been launched this week that claims it will provide the public and policy makers with the tools to understand the debate over genetically modified foods (GMF). The information available on-line will come from top scientists in the field who study the techniques of genetic engineering and their impact on human health and the environment. ³Controversies Surrounding Genetically Modified Food² is the latest product of the SCOPE (Science Controversies On-Line: Partnerships in Education) Project (http://scope.educ.washington.edu <http://scope.educ.washington.edu/> ). The Web-based project is the work of editors at Science magazine, which is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and scientists at the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Washington. The groups are collaborating in order to provide a balanced scientific view of related issues and to do so in a way that might be useful to educators, scientists, policy makers, and the general public. ³The challenge, of course, is to enable non-specialists to engage in the debate intelligently and critically,² said Alan McHughen, a contributor to the site and professor and senior research scientist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. ³We do this by providing enough accurate information, balanced between being superficially simplistic and overwhelmingly technical.² The National Science Foundation is a major funder of the effort. In addition to commentaries on different scientific aspects of genetic modification of food, the site provides a glossary of terms, links to other relevant sites, a model curriculum for teaching the science of genetic modification, a resource library, and answers to questions posed to scientists by editors at Science. Back to top <mhtml:mid://00000014/#top> USA: TECHNOMIC LAUNCHES BROAD LANDMARK STUDY ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS February 13, Technomic, Inc In a move reflecting increasing industry-wide concern about the impact of genetically modified foods on the U.S. food industry, Technomic announced plans to launch an extensive study on the subject. Regulatory pressures are beginning to mount. Recent Food and Drug Administration actions make it clear that they are taking a much closer look at the GM foods issue. Several proposed rule changes are geared to creating tighter compliance measures for U.S. food suppliers and operators. Much of the pressure on the FDA has come from nonprofit lobbying groups, whose ranks have shot up from a handful in 1992 to 54 today. With all the uncertainty and potential risks, the U.S. food industry is forced to prepare for various outcomes. Everyone in the food value chain -- from the farmer to the retailer -- may be seriously affected by the genetic modifications issue. There could be significant implications related to product development, labeling, marketing, production, logistics and sourcing. The Technomic study is unique in that it will comprehensively research and analyze attitudes and practices across all channels-including consumers, supermarket and foodservice operators, distributors, manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. Through numerous consumer focus groups, in-depth surveys, and over 150 trade interviews, Technomic plans to assess implications for all value chain participants. In addition, the unique impact of genetic modification on each major food category will be addressed. To learn more about "Genetically Modified Foods: A Comprehensive Food Value Chain Assessment," including its complete scope, objectives, key issues, methodology and sponsorship costs, please contact Bob Goldin or Joe Pawlak at Technomic, Inc., 312-876-0004 or at [log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]