A new report by the Consumer Federation of America has criticised the US government for forsaking its responsibility to regulate biotech foods in its enthusiasm to get products to the market. The report blasts federal authorities for allowing companies that make and sell genetically altered foods, to decide how safe they are.
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The report authors argue that by relying on a regulatory system that exempts biotechnology products deemed “substantially equivalent” to existing foods from rigorous regulatory review, the US government has put the public and the environment at risk from potential allergens, herbicides, creation of “superweeds,” and other unknown consequences.
The report urges Congress to pass new legislation that specifically addresses the problems of genetically engineered organisms. It also calls for mandatory premarket testing and labelling of all foods containing biotech products.
“It may be time…for Congress to take a fresh look at GM foods through committees that are not mere cheerleaders for the regulated industries,” the report concludes. The EU-US Consultative Forum on Biotechnology issued a report last month calling for similar controls.
To see more of the report click here: http://www.consumerfed.org/
