NEW YORK -- Protesters here and in 21 other cities took the Kellogg and Campbell Soup companies to task recently for using genetically modified foods in products.
Pesticide Action Network, Friends of the Earth, State Public Interest Research Groups, Organic Consumers Association, National Environmental Trust, Center for Food Safety and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy want safety testing and labeling before the foods go to market.
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration does not require any tests on the altered products beyond what is required for traditional foods. Foes of biotech foods say altering the genetic structure can produce unanticipated allergens or toxins. They also warn that crops growing in the fields might harm wild species by poisoning insects and animals, as well as changing the genetic makeup of plants.
Chris Ervin, a spokeswoman for Kellogg, Battle Creek, Mich., said the criticisms are nothing new. "Our basic position has always been that this is one of the safest food supplies in the world, and that Kellogg would never do anything to jeopardize its 96-year reputation for making nutritious, healthful and safe foods," Ervin said.