Demand Labels on Genetically Engineered Foods The United States
is a rarity among developed countries in that it does not
require labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. Russia,
Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand and 15 nations in the
European Union require notice of GE content. A poll by ABC News
shows that 93 percent of Americans want the federal government
to require mandatory labeling of these foods. The nonprofit
Center for Food Safety (CFS) has filed a petition with the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) demanding that the agency
require the labeling of GE foods, on behalf of the Just Label It
campaign (JustLabelIt.org), a coalition of 350 companies,
organizations, scientists, doctors and individuals dedicated to
food safety and consumer rights. In 1992, the FDA issued a
policy statement that GE foods were not “materially” different
than traditional foods, and so did not need to be labeled.
Agency policy severely constricts differences only to
alterations that can be tasted, smelled or oth