http://cnniw.yellowbrix.com/pages/cnniw/Story.nsp?story_id=9912248&ID
=cnniw&scategory=Food


 Group Protests Food Alterations
 Source: Albuquerque Journal
 Publication date: 2000-04-08

 Udall Backs Measure To Force Labeling

About 10 people carried signs and banners on the corner of St. Francis
and Cerrillos Road on Friday afternoon to alert passing motorists to the
possible dangers of genetically altered food.

"I'm a mother and I'm nursing," said Daryn Hunter, holding her 6-
month-old son Sasha Hunter.  "I'm afraid of what unknowns could affect
my child."   Food Fight, a Santa Fe organization devoted to educating
people about genetically engineered   foods, organized the protest. The
group wants the federal government to require food   producers to label
products that contain genetically altered ingredients.

"People don't know what they're eating," said Donnia Herberger, a Food
Fight member. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., supports efforts to require companies to label
products that include genetically altered foods, Glen Loveland, Udall's
spokesman in Washington, D.C., said Friday.

Udall recently endorsed a House bill requiring food manufacturers to
label genetically enhanced food, Loveland said.   Udall also sent a
letter to the Food and Drug Administration in October requesting the
agency   begin forcing companies to label genetically altered products,
Loveland added.

Monsanto, DuPont and other companies dabble in genetic biotechnology
to produce disease-resistant food crops. But changes in the food's molecular
structure may be harmful to  people, and consumers should be able to
avoid the products, Hunter said.

Food companies will be forced to change their genetic engineering
research policies if enough  people stop buying enhanced foods,
Herberger said.

 Publication date: 2000-04-08
 (c) 2000, YellowBrix, Inc.