Genes with Your Salsa?

By Robin Eisner, ABCNEWS.com

NEW YORK, March 8 How do you know if the tortilla 
chip you are crunching contains corn bio-enginered
with a novel gene that makes the plant toxic to certain
caterpillars?

You cant know.

Since genetically modified (GM) foods came on the market in 1992, the Food and Drug Administration has deemed most of these products no different in safety or quality than conventional food and, therefore, requiring no distinction in labeling.

But the public now seems to want to know if they are eating genetically engineered foods. Two bills before Congress, one in the House of Representatives introduced in November by Congressman Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and another introduced Feb. 22 in the Senate by Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., are calling for the labeling of genetically engineered foods.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also just released new rules that prohibit genetically modified foods in products labeled as organic.

Survey Supports Legislation

On Saturday, Les Dames dEscoffier, a prestigious international womens culinary organization, released results of a survey which found that 86 percent of the 1,012 people sampled would like labels characterizing genetically modified food.

Les Dames decided to sponsor the survey because they hoped to find out how the public felt about GM foods.

"We seem to always hear about what the agri-biotechnology companies, the environmentalists and the government thinks about this issue, but we wanted to get an independent sense of what consumers thought," said Les Dames spokeswoman Saralie Slonksy at a meeting Saturday in New York about bio-engineered foods.

International Communications Research, of Media, Pa., queried randomly selected adults throughout the country over the age of 18 and questioned them about their knowledge of genetically engineered foods. Most were found to be uninformed about such products, yet equal numbers thought them to be safe and unsafe. The survey has a 3 percent margin of error.

A Lot of Bio-engineered Corn, Soy

Approximately 50 percent of the soybean crop planted in 1999 in the United States carries a novel, non-soybean gene that makes it resistant to the herbicide Roundup, used to control weeds, according to the FDA. The gene allows the plant to metabolize the chemical herbicide.

About a quarter of the U.S. corn planted in 1999 contains a protein derived from a bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt), toxic to the European corn borer. Such corn reduces the need for insecticides. Both new crops hit the market in 1996.

While food processors employ Bt corn and modified soy, they are mostly used as animal feed.

Yet, DNA analysis performed by the watchdog Consumers Union found that several popular foods contain genetically modified plants: McDonalds veggie burgers, Ovaltine Malt powdered beverage mix, Bac-Os Bacon flavored bits, some Bravos Tortilla Chips, Old El Paso Taco Shells and Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.

FDA Assures Safety

The FDA says these products are safe and do not need special labeling. DNA, or genes, are in plants harvested by conventional breeding, the agency says. The body also metabolizes the protein coded for by the added gene no differently than the millions of other proteins we eat every day. Finally, the argument goes, the pesticides and herbicides, now parts of the plants, also have been present as residues in non-engineered crops; theyre just sprayed on after the fact, rather than being built in.

So far, none of the foods evaluated by the FDA for consumer use have caused allergies. In the mid-1990s, a soybean with a gene from the Brazil nut never made it to market because it caused allergic reactions in volunteers during pre-market testing, according to Val Giddings, spokesman for the Biotechnology Industry Organization, a Washington, D.C-based trade association.

"What happened with this soybean indicates the system works," Giddings says.

Independent of safety issues, labeling supporters say the FDA should require the labeling of genetically modified foods because such information is of interest to consumers, according to Consumers Union spokeswoman Jean Halloran. The agency requires labeling of irradiated foods, frozen foods and juices made from concentrate, Halloran says. "It could do the same for biotech foods," she says.

Biotech Industry Against Labeling

Michael Philips, spokesman for the Biotechnology Industry Association, also challenged the findings of the Les Dames survey. He said a survey by the International Food Information Council, an organization funded by the food, beverage and agricultural industry, found that once people were told the FDAs position on genetically modified foods, they felt no need for special labeling.

Philips pointed out the FDA requires special labeling of genetically modified products that are substantially different in nutrient value than traditional foods or that in some way may cause allergies. Soybean and canola oil from plants designed to have special fatty acids have been labeled.

To ensure the FDAs policy on genetically modified foods, first promulgated in 1992, keeps up with scientific knowledge, the agency is now soliciting opinions from the public. The agency held three public meetings around the country late last year.

Why Labeling Interest Now

Although biotech foods have been around a while, the publics interest in the labeling of genetically modified foods has bloomed because of recent events. As more products are expected to reach the market in the coming years, people are worried about their safety.

Environmentalists and activists recently became concerned about a laboratory-based study indicating that monarch butterflies might be harmed by eating pollen from corn with the Bt gene. Further investigations are under way.

In January, 130 nations, including the United States, adopted an agreement in Montreal to label genetically engineered agricultural commodities. Before the treaty can go into effect it must be ratified by 50 countries, a process that could take two to three years.

Europe has also been resisting genetically modified crops. Since 1998, the European Union has ceased importing genetically modified corn from the United States, costing the United States $200 million a year in exports.

Companies are beginning to bow to consumer pressures. Heinz and Gerber announced they would not used genetically modified material in their baby food. Last month Frito-Lay announced it was asking growers not to use genetically modified crops.

Now comes the USDAs rules on organic foods. Although such labeling would give consumers a choice, Consumers Unions Halloran feels the policy does not go far enough because organic foods are such a small part of the market.

The biotechnology industry would not support the proposed organic labeling. BIOs Giddings says there is no need to segregate genetically modified products since they are no different than plants created by thousands of years of human selection.

Organic farmers disagree. "Organic farmers are proud to put the organic label on their products," says Paulette Satur, owner of an organic farm on Long Island bearing her name, and wife of Lutece chef and co-owner Eberhard Muller, who uses products from the farm in the famed New York restaurant. "Why arent the biotech companies as proud to put a genetically modified label on their products?"

How are GM Foods Regulated?

Rather than conventional plant breeders who mix all the genes from two plants and see what comes out, genetic engineers insert genes for specific traits into individual plants.

The benefit of biotechnology, proponents say, is that it allows more control and precision as to what characteristics can be introduced into a plant. The changes can also be made much faster than with traditional breeding.

Once the new gene is in the plant, it does what all other genes do. It directs the production of a specific protein, which in the case of 50 percent of the soybeans in the United States makes them resistant to an herbicide.

Three government agencies have jurisdiction over genetically engineered plants and foods: the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.

USDAs Animal and Plant Inspection Service oversees the agricultural environmental safety of planting and field testing of genetically engineered plants. EPA regulates those plants that have been engineered to contain pesticides and herbicides, since such compounds, usually applied externally, fall under its purview.

The FDA is responsible for the safety and labeling of all foods and animal feeds derived from biotech crops.

The FDA set up a consultation process to help companies meet regulatory requirements. While consultation is voluntary, the foods still have to meet certain mandatory safety requirements.

Companies send the agency data to show that the food is as safe as conventional food. The firms describe the new genes, and whether the proteins made by them could cause allergies. If the plant is substantively different than what is on the market, the company has to specially label any product made from it. The FDA follows up on all adverse reactions reported about food, including reactions to genetically modified crops.

Approximately 40 to 50 genetically modified products are currently on the market. One of the first bio-engineered products on the supermarket shelves, the Flavr Savr Tomato, is no longer available. The company developed a variety that did not taste good to the public, so it did not sell, biotech experts say. It was not because the tomato was genetically engineered.

The next generation of products expected to hit the shelves are rice with higher levels of Vitamin A and oil with boosted Vitamin E. Such items will have to be labeled because they are different than what currently is on the market.

Robin Eisner, ABCNEWS.com