GMO and the FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been in the headlines a lot lately, as it has considered whether or not to approve genetically modified salmon. At the heart of the debate is the FDA's policies on food labeling--its policies dictate that once a food has been approved for sale, it cannot and will not require the manufacturer to label it as "genetically modified".

The Washington Post has reported that, in addition to approving genetically modified "Frankenfish" salmon without requiring a GMO [genetically modified organism] label, the FDA will also be banning the inclusion of any references to not containing genetically modified content on food items which are GMO free.

The FDA, which has been under intense pressure from GM interests to approve the modified salmon without requiring any labeling, stated that it could not require a label on the salmon because the agency determined that the altered fish are not "materially different" from other salmon. Apparently, the agency is using even the same, and even flimsier, justifications to force food companies to hide the truth if their products are GM/GMO free - much to the delight of the multi-billion dollar GM industries. (Emphasis mine)

This has to make you uncomfortable. I don't honestly know for sure whether there's a "material difference" between genetically modified and conventional food, despite anecdotal evidence indicating that farm animals refuse to eat GMO corn and soy, and drawing potential links between GMO food and allergies. But I think that the FDA's arguments here are paper thin. According to the Post article,

"Extra labeling only confuses the consumer," said David Edwards, director of animal biotechnology at the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "It differentiates products that are not different. As we stick more labels on products that don't really tell us anything more, it makes it harder for consumers to make their choices."

The FDA defends its approach, saying it is simply following the law, which prohibits misleading labels on food. And the fact that a food, in this case salmon, is produced through a different process, is not sufficient to require a label.

This kind of idiocy (and hiding behind "policies") represents the height of hypocrisy. Deliberately hiding information from the consumer--and then pretending that it is to the consumer's benefit--is the work of a con artist. The FDA has gone out of its way to inform the consumer in other arenas, requiring incredibly detailed nutritional information on product labels and forcing chain restaurants to provide calorie counts on their menus. Their approach in those cases seems to be that the more informed the consumer becomes, the better food choices he will make. That their approach here seems so different--hiding information instead of providing more--indicates that the GMO food manufacturers have more political clout than anyone should allow.

Memo to the FDA: don't decide what will and won't confuse me, and pretend to be looking out for my best interests. That's not your job (and remember, you work for me). Provide me with all relevant information, and let me make my own decisions. This kind of ill-advised governmental paternalism is not in anyone's best interests--except maybe Monsanto.

[Washington Post]
[Natural News]