September 28, 2000
		Kraft Recalls Taco Bell Taco Shells Made From Illegal Biotech Corn After a widely reported embarrassment, Kraft announced on September 22 that all taco shells sold in supermarkets under the Taco Bell name would be recalled. Testing of the taco shells revealed that they contained a specific variety of genetically engineered corn, StarLink, that has not been approved for human consumption. The corn, produced by the biotech company Aventis Corp., had been approved for use in animal feed only because there was concern it could provoke an allergic response in people. Aventis has since announced that they will withdraw StarLink corn from the marketplace altogether. The tests, which were commissioned by the environmental group Friends of the Earth, were conducted at Genetic ID Inc., an independent lab and identified the presence of the StarLink corn in multiple samples. Kraft, which is owned by Phillip Morris, did not know how many packages were in homes ot grocery stores, but a spokesperson said that it was likely in the millions. The recall does not apply to taco shells at Taco Bell restaurants, because they use a different supplier. Rebecca Goldburg, senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, said that the recall "demonstrates that consumers are not being protected by the federal agencies assigned to this critical responsibility." Carl Feldbaum, president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, reassured no one when he said, "It is unclear how this occurred, but now we must find out."