From: Mark De Anda [Dislexyk@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 1:22 AM
To: Food and Drug Administration
Subject: Docket # 00N-1396 and #00D-1598


Food and Drug Administration ,

The dangers of genetically engineered food are obvious, but still their use in 64% of our market shows that Americans don't know which brands of food contain genetically modified organisms. I am extremely concerned that the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has proposed regulations that still fail to require labels or safety tests on genetically engineered (GE) food. Labels on GE foods are required in Japan, Russia, and throughout Europe, yet your new proposal continues to deny Americans the right to know what is in our food. I believe that if the U.S.A. follows in the footsteps of the above said countries, that the people who feel strongly about this issue will rest assured knowing that they're persuit of happiness is secured by the federal government. And for those who don't care, well at least they'll know what they're eating. Labeling G.M.O.s meant for consumption will not hurt, but can only help our people. 
 

Labels must be required to protect the public from potential health effects that could only be traced if GE foods can be identified, yet FDA?s "voluntary labeling" guidelines will leave thousands of unlabeled GE foods on our supermarket
shelves. Furthermore, the agency's proposed rule only requires companies to notify FDA when bringing GE foods to market, but it fails to require any safety testing.
Doctors and scientists have warned about the potential for GE foods to trigger dangerous allergies, change the nutritional value of foods, and cause irreversible harm to the environment. FDA appears to be playing politics with our food, disregarding science-based precautions that other countries have implemented. I recall there being a mandatory 2 year testing period for new products on the market, and yet the F.D.A. has not tested genetically tainted foods.


I urge you to reconsider this proposal and insure that GE foods are subject to pre-market testing and labeling. Americans deserve the same protections as the rest of the world. Thank you.


Mark De Anda
9647 Maidenstone
San Antonio, Tx -78250 
U.S.A.
Dislexyk@hotmail.com