Can you please take my address off the list at EcoFem
@csf.colorado.edu. Thank you
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fri Jul 31 19:11:22 1998
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From: bunny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Infant Threat from Unlabelled Gene Tech Foods
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Hi all,
We have had many reports in the paper here about the threat of new gene-tech
foods to babies! One baby food manufacturer spokesperson recommended mothers
"not listen to all that nonsense" yet the company manufacturing the baby
food could not/would not answer whether there was GE modified ingredients in
their baby food! I have heard that a US scientist may have perfected a
technique
to test foods for GE ingredients.
Here is an item I received on GE baby foods.
NEWS MEDIA RELEASE
EMBARGO: 1 PM WEDNESDAY JULY 29, 1998
Infant Threat from Unlabelled Gene Tech Foods
Tests on baby formula confirm which brands contain genetically engineered
soybeans, able to be sprayed with the potent, residual herbicide Roundup.
US farmers get good weed kills but Australian infants eat new genes,
proteins and synthetic chemical residues not in food before. As no
genetically engineered foods are labelled, mothers cannot tell what to feed
their babies.
The test results will be released at a:
News Media Conference, Adelaide Environment Centre,
120 Wakefield Street, Adelaide at 1pm Wednesday July 29.
Health, Food and Scientific Professionals will also issue a Declaration
calling for labels on genetically engineered foods. It seeks a moratorium
on their sale pending stronger regulations which meet with public approval.
Australian and New Zealand Health Ministers meet in Sydney on Thursday to
make crucial decisions on the standard for genetically engineered foods.
The Food Authority (ANZFA) recommends that most foods not be labelled but
thousands of letters, petitions and declarations from the public demand
labelling. Government research shows 90% support for labels.
We are confident the Ministers will heed our call and reject ANZFA's
dangerous proposal.
"It makes no logical or scientific sense to require a better tasting tomato
to be labelled 'genetically improved' while tomatoes with insect toxins or
virus particles are unlabelled," says Director of the GeneEthics Network,
Bob Phelps.
"The very young and old are at particular risk, and only full labelling
will allow their carers to monitor any illness that may result from mutant
foods," he says.
Doctors, health professionals, nutritionists, chefs and scientists have
also signed a Declaration that calls on the Health Ministers for labelling.
"We want them to place a moratorium on genetically engineered foods and
food products, pending development of a publicly acceptable food standard
that protects human health, biosafety and the environment," says Adelaide
medical practitioner Dr Kate Clinch-Jones.
" The New Zealand public also overwhelmingly favours strong rules on
genetically engineered foods and food products that contain them," says Guy
Hatchard, Director of New Zealand's Natural Food Commission.
"If the Ministers really are for health, they will require labelling, full
assessment and performance monitoring," he says.
For further comment:
Bob Phelps Monday 03 9416 2222 Tues and Wed 08 8232 2566 (ACF) 08 8376
4445 (AH)
_________________________________________________________________________
Scientific analysis of infant formulas - Biotest: Dr Stewart Washer 08
9300 9995;
Declaration: Adelaide: Dr Kate Clinch-Jones 08 8381 5662; Brisbane: Dr
Alex Klestov
07 3253 7893 or Dr Dick Copeman 07 3217 3187; Perth: Josh Roberts 08 9384
5884 / 0412 570 439 or Emily Wallis 08 9245 2532; Sydney: Margaret Boyes 02
9559 1367
___________________________________________________________________________
DECLARATION
HEALTH, FOOD AND SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS CALL FOR
CAUTION ON GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS
The undersigned doctors, health professionals, nutritionists, chefs and
scientists call on Australian and New Zealand Health Ministers for:
� a moratorium on all genetically engineered foods and food products;
pending public agreement to:
� a food standard including mandatory labelling, independent precautionary
assessment, and biosafety performance monitoring of all such foods.
We make this declaration because:
� over thirty engineered foods (most from the USA where they are
unregulated) are now traded internationally, with inadequate assessment,
monitoring or labelling, and many more may soon arrive in Australia;
� these foods have no history of safe use and contain substances never in
food before, so their long term impacts are unknown;
� engineered foods are spliced with foreign genes from humans, animals,
plants, bacteria, and viruses, resulting in unpredictable, permanent
changes, and there are no long-term studies to show they are safe;
� changing the basic genetic structure of our foods may create new toxins,
allergens, carcinogens or teratogens, with delayed health impacts;
� genetically engineered organisms can disrupt ecosystems - endanger
wildlife; destroy biodiversity in nature and agriculture; create super
pests and weeds; and increase chemical use that leaves more residues in
food;
� the many citizens with food-related illnesses, or ethical, religious, and
philosophical restrictions on their diets, may need to avoid engineered
foods with foreign substances, so require food labelling;
� only complete and honest food labelling can guarantee our right to be
fully informed, and empowered to make precautionary choices on our family's
behalf;
� the vast majority of food buyers everywhere want genetically engineered
foods to be labelled, according to opinion surveys;
� our Asian and European trading partners require labelling and expect
Australian produce to be genuinely "Clean and Green".
On the basis of this evidence, we urge Health Ministers to:
� place a moratorium on genetically engineered foods; and
� develop a publicly acceptable food standard that protects human health,
biosafety and the environment.
Name Profession Signed Date
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bob Phelps
Director
Australian GeneEthics Network
c/- ACF 340 Gore Street, Fitzroy. 3065 Australia
Tel: (03) 9416.2222 Fax: (03) 9416.0767 {Int Code (613)}
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
WWW: http://www.peg.apc.org/~acfgenet (under construction)
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