As of October 20th, 2000, it was released that up to 50 grain elevators received Cry9c corn. That there were up to 9 Million bushels unaccounted for. It is suspected that the banned bio-corn contamination has spread into corn chips and corn flake breakfast cereals.
As of November 2nd, 2000, there was still in excess of 2 million unaccounted bushels. Also, more than a dozen people have claimed to have developed an illness, or allergic reaction, from eating gene contaminated corn. Probably, most of these claims can never be substantiated.
The FDA maintains that Starlink corn is "probably harmless". Skimming over the larger issue that all of the guidelines and rules, for protecting the public, did not work.
During this incident, the public learned that the government has three categories for genetically altered foods:
1) Foods allowable for human consumption.
Because of the Starlink fiasco, there are plans to abolish category #2. But, if the existing rules are so ineffective, we have to assume that it's just a matter of time before category #3 foods find their way onto our supermarket shelves.
Meanwhile, corporations continue to lobby against the required labeling of genetically modified ingredients. Citing that it would cost the processed food industry millions of dollars to revise their labels. When, in fact, labels are updated all of the time. If for no other reason, to include words like "new" and "improved". And, when those "millions of dollars" are divided on a company-by-company basis, the resulting cost for any given corporation is negligible.
Agreed, there would also be a cost factor in tracking the quality of the bulk foods purchased, to be used for ingredients. But, aren't they already evaluating the quality of their ingredients? If not, then what are they feeding us?
Indeed, all of these dollar computations are unimportant, compared to the food companies' unwillingness to act in the best interest and the well being of their customers. Inexcusable!
It's time to take action and purchase additional food from those companies who voluntarily label their food to be free of genetically altered ingredients.
To give you an idea of how serious this has become, most natural health food stores have no way to monitor if their foods come from gene-altered sources. They must take their wholesaler's word (if they bother to ask). And many of the wholesalers don't know either! They must take the supplier's word. And, so it goes.
Given the proven ineptitude of the guidelines for tracking genetically modified foods, what makes us think that our "natural" and "organic" foods are not gene-altered? In fact, it is safe to say that over one third of the soybeans labeled "organically grown" come from genetically altered crops. If we encounter this in a natural health store, what is the percentage in our local supermarkets? And where will it end?
Because the technology is so new, none of these "foods" have been tested over time. We are the lab rats!
1) Gene altered ingredients can be included, so long as the company informs the FDA.
2) The company must say they have tested the gene altered food and have found it to be safe.
3) No further testing, by the government or an outside source, will be required.
4) Labeling that the product contains genetically modified ingredients is voluntary.
Certainly good to know that our government is working in our best interest, isn't it?
If we do not take the time to evaluate and purchase the best possible food, conditions will only become worse. That’s why the organic guidelines, for the quality and the use of food, are so important.
On September 18, 2000, it was announced that genetically engineered food, not approved for human consumption, was being sold in supermarkets. At first, the contamination was thought to be limited to some specific brand-name taco shells. Soon, however, it became apparent that a huge quantity of the gene-altered corn had been introduced into our food supply.
2) Foods allowable for livestock, but not human consumption.
3) Foods not approved for any consumption.
January 17, 2001. In the wake of the Starlink fiasco, the FDA released new rules concerning the commercial use of genetically modified foods. The rules, essentially, say:
