From: Marti Senterfit [senterfitm@earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2001 11:22 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Cc: Maryet S. Senterfit
Subject: Genetically Engineered Foods

This e-mail is for comment on your proposed new rules on genetically
engineered (GE) foods.  I am very concerned that these proposals do not
include requirements for labeling or testing of these extremely
controversial and potentially dangerous additives (because that's what they
are!!).

It is very critical to me that:

 * The FDA must require mandatory pre-market comprehensive
   environmental review. Unlike conventional pollutants,
   where a given amount of pollutant causes a limited amount
   of damage, a small number of mutant genes could have a
   population explosion and reproduce forever, causing
   unlimited and irreparable damage.

 * The FDA must require mandatory pre-market long-term health
   testing. GE products could be toxic, cause allergic
   responses, have lower nutritional value, and compromise
   immune responses in consumers.

 * The FDA must require mandatory labeling of GE products.
   Without mandatory labeling, neither consumers nor health
   professionals will know if an allergic or toxic reaction
   was the result of a genetically engineered food. Consumers
   would be deprived of the critical knowledge needed to hold
   food producers liable should any of these novel products
   be hazardous.

 * The FDA must end its cozy relationship with the industries
   it purports to be regulating. People have been allowed to
   work for a biotech company, then work for the FDA writing the
   regulatory rules on that company's product, then go back to
   working for the company.  Ninety-two percent of FDA advisory
   committee meetings had at least one conflict of interest.

This is an extremely important general health issue that is not getting
sufficient attention - might this be because the food industry is lobbying
so hard to prevent such attention??  Please give my comments serious
attention.

Thanks,
Marti Senterfit