September 20, 2000
		Taco Bell Serves Up Illegal Biotech Corn Showing alarming evidence or how easily banned biotech can enter the food supply, Friends of the Earth revealed test results Monday that the corn used in Taco Bell taco shells contain a variety of genetically engineered corn that hasn't been approved for human consumption. The corn in question, made by Aventis Corp. and goes under the trade name StarLink, has been approved only for animal feed because EPA advisors believe that the protein in it could cause allergic reactions. Kraft Foods Co., producer of the taco shells, said that it would consider a recall if further FDA tests reveal the same results. "Our concern, of course, is whether or not this product, which is registered for animal feed, is somehow illegally finding its way into food that people eat," said David Cohen, an EPA spokesman. The taco shells were one of 23 items that the environmental group Friend of the Earth submitted to Iowa-based Genetic ID Inc. for testing. Three sets of tests all found conclusive evidence of the particular protein that could cause an allergic response. "We used the most sophisticated checks and balances to verify our results and we've done it three times. We've very confident," said Jeffrey Smith, Genetic ID's vice president. Environmentalists and consumer activists said the finding showed that the government isn't regulating biotech crops adequately. "It concerns me and should concern American consumers that this is a glimpse of things to come as genetically engineered products are rushed to store shelves without real mandatory safety testing and labeling programs in place," said Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio.