From: Jane Martin [jane@humanfactors.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 9:56 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Label genetically engineered food

To the Food and Drug Administration,

I want to voice my desire that genetically engineered products must be
labeled and tested for safety.

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 toworking for the company.  Ninety-two percent of FDA advisory
committee meetings had at least one conflict of interest.

Please respect my right to safe food by putting these guidelines in your new
rules on GE foods.  Thank you.

Jane Martin
8600 Geren Road
Silver Spring, MD