From: Pat Mead [meadgang@citlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2001 6:28 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: dockets OON-1396 and OOD-1598

FDA Commissioner Dockets Management Branch
(HFA 305) Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fisher's Lane, Room 1061
Rockville MD 20852

Dear FDA Commissioner,

Thank you for your diligent service and concern for the welfare of American citizens across the nation.  I appreciate the opportunity to bring consumer concerns before the FDA.

The current proposed regulations regarding genetically engineered foods fail to require labels or safety tests.  This is of great concern to many Americans including  myself.  The new rules deny citizens the fundamental right to know what is in their food. 

Labeling GE foods would protect the public from potential hazardous health effects such as food allergies and toxicity that can only be traced if GE foods are identified.  American consumers desire overwhelmingly to exercise their freedom of choice in the marketplace.

Volunteer labeling guidelines will do nothing to inform the average consumer of the presence of genetically engineered ingredients in their food, because biotech companies and food manufacturers have vehemently opposed labeling in the past and will certainly not voluntarily label their foods in the future.

Therefore, I appeal to you to keep all genetically engineered ingredients and crops off the market unless:

    1. They are labeled to ensure consumers' the freedom of choice

    2. Independent safety testing shows they have no harmful effects on human health

Sincerely,
Dana Mead