2008 July 16 | Healthy Living

Genetically Modified Fries With Your Cloned Burger

In 2007, the FDA ruled that meat from cloned cows was safe to eat. Even though this ruling cleared the way for cloned beef, goats, pigs and sheep to be used for food, I don’t any of this meat has yet come to market. Whether you agree or disagree with the eventual introduction of cloned meat into our food supply, there is one part of the ruling that I hope an uproar is created over, the labeling.

No Labels Are Required

The FDA ruled that because their “risk assessment” showed no danger to human health, meat producers will be free to market their products without any distinguishing labels. I have written many times about my belief that labeling of food and health and beauty products need better, much more complete labeling. The FDA, with their varied and repeated rulings that labels in general are not needed, seems to disagree with me. I think they are following the letter of the law, but not using common sense. I also believe they are not doing what the majority of taxpayers would like them to with labeling requirements.

Labels Are Not Only To Warn Of Danger

Labels on products serve several purposes beyond the FDA’s belief that they are to warn us of danger. Perhaps the most important function of a labeling on food is to provide information upon which the consumer can make purchasing decisions. This is the crux of food producer’s fear. These companies understand perfectly that a label on a package of meat saying, “cloned”, irradiated” or treated with CO2, will cause some consumers to make a different choice. This has nothing to do with whether these products are safe to eat. In fact, some cases, like irradiation, a logical argument can be made that the meat may actually be safer than untreated meat.

So Why Not Label Cloned Meat?

Simply because labeling it as such would make it very difficult to sell to us “uneducated” and “fearful” consumers. We would choose not to buy cloned steaks, but would do so for reasons the FDA and the meat producers must feel are invalid. The fact is that many would choose not to buy cloned meat and for what reasons and whether the reluctance is backed up by studies and science is not important. Consumers have the right to know what they are buying and to decide for themselves and their families if they want to buy it.

Consumers Want Better Labeling

I know I do. I strongly believe that government should require that all products we eat, or put on our bodies, carry labels listing ingredients. Any new or controversial processing methods also need to be put on labels. The geographic origin of food also needs to be disclosed. We need to be able to make our own decisions about what we eat. Without complete labeling, we can’t easily do that.

What Do You Think?

Please take the simple poll at the bottom of this post. Then leave your opinions, and reasoning in a comment. This topic really does not seem to create much interest on line or with the general populace. Why do you think that is? Is it not as important an issue as I think it is? Or are people just too distracted by more pressing things in their lives to be concerned?

Let’s Publicize This

If you have a website of your own and feels as I do, you could write your own post on this or just write a short note to your readers asking them to come to this post and answer the poll and leave a comment. Maybe we can get some Digg and Stumble Upon readers to do more than a quick scan and move on. If I get enough poll answers and comments to feel the opinion is substantial, and my view seems to be supported by the majority, I will summarize it all and write to Congress and the FDA asking for better labeling.