From: bobcatz@snet.net
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001 10:34 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: What's in your food? (FDA Dockets 00N-1396 and 00D-1598)


Dear Corporate and Government Leaders,

Neither government nor industry is protecting Americans from the risks posed to human health and the environment by genetically engineered (GE) foods. The Food and Drug Administration's "new" policy on GE foods (proposed January 18, 2001) continues to let the biotech industry regulate itself; it fails to require the long-term, pre-market safety testing demanded by independent experts. The "voluntary labeling" guidelines are a wholly inadequate response to the overwhelming public support for mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. Therefore, I urge you to keep all genetically engineered ingredients and crops off the market unless:

1) Independent safety testing demonstrates they have no harmful effects on human health or the environment, 

2) They are labeled to ensure the consumer's right-to-know, and 

3) The biotechnology corporations that manufacture them are held accountable for any harms they may cause.


Frankly, I don't buy any product unless it's organic but I feel by not allowing labeling or safety testing you will be allowing big business to pollute even the organic food market.  I WANT TO KNOW IF A FOOD HAS GE PRODUCTS IN IT SO THAT I WILL KNOW NOT TO BUY IT.  I currently don't buy any corn, soy or canola oil products because of the risk of genetic polllution. I feel there has not been enough testing of these products, there is no way to stop the contamination of other foodstuffs and frankly we dont' know the long terms effects. MY HEALTH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THESE BIG COMPANY'S PRODUCTS AND FRANKLY THAT IS WHAT THE FDA IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, PROTECTING THE CONSUMERS HEALTH, NOT THE PROFITS OF THE BIG COMPANIES.  DO YOUR JOB LIKE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO AND STOP PROTECTING THE POCKETBOOKS OF THE BIG COMPANIES!   


Sincerely

Cathy Zbuska
111 Swimming Hole Rd
Harwinton, Connecticut 06791