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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2002
SAFEWAY'S GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD: TESTED ON KIDS, NOT MOTHER
APPROVED
Mothers Join Greenpeace, Organic Consumers Association, Pesticide Action
Network to Protest Safeway's Use of Untested Genetically Engineered Ingredients
Pleasanton, Calif. - In honor of Mother's Day, mothers, Greenpeace, Organic
Consumers Association and Pesticide Action Network joined together at
Safeway's headquarters to protest the grocery chains use of genetically
engineered (GE) foods. The group is demanding that Safeway remove untested
GE ingredients from its store brand products and in particular its Select
brand infant formula. The activists conveyed their message with a banner
reading, "Safeway's Genetically Engineered Food Tested on Kids, Not
Mother Approved." The group also requested a meeting with Safeway's
CEO, Steven Burd, about these risky foods and promises to continue to
pressure Safeway until it commits to going GE-free.
Laboratory testing commissioned by Greenpeace has revealed that Safeway
Select Infant Formula is made with genetically engineered soy. The findings
follow a recent report by the preeminent British scientific organization,
The British Royal Society, which called for infant formulas that contain
genetically engineered ingredients to be "investigated more rigorously"
because infants are more vulnerable to potential health risks of these
experimental foods.
"Safeway is making children the guinea pigs in the genetic experiment
on our food supply," said Jeanne Merrill, Greenpeace genetic engineering
campaigner. "Safeway must act to protect children and their families
by removing genetically engineered ingredients from its infant formulas
and all other store brand products."
The British Royal Society, the UK's National Academy of Sciences, in
the report, Genetically Modified Plants for Food Use and Human Health
- An update, called for more health safety tracking of genetically engineered
food products, particularly those foods consumed by infants. The scientists
note that infants are especially vulnerable to the health risks caused
by genetically engineered foods, since formula is often their sole or
primary food for an extended period. The report specifically mentions
allergies as a potential consequence that should be monitored among infants
and children who are exposed to GE foods.
"Safeway's GE foods are not even labeled, so there is no way for
parents or doctors to monitor these critical health issues," stated
concerned mother Judith Barish. "People have the right to know what
they are feeding their children. If Safeway truly cares about their customers,
it will stop secretly polluting their food."
Safeway uses genetically engineered food in its store brand products
without any warning to its customers. By keeping its use of genetically
engineered ingredients a secret, American shoppers are left in the dark
about this important health and environmental issue. Since Safeway won't
let consumers know about genetically engineered food, Greenpeace has complied
a list of over 2,000 food products that do and do not contain genetically
engineered products. The True Food Shopping List can be found at www.truefoodnow.org.
Greenpeace is advising shoppers to:
* Let Safeway know they don't want genetic experiments in their food;
* Become informed shoppers by reading labels and identifying foods that
are commonly engineered, like corn, soy, and canola or cotton seed oil;
and
. Visit the Web sites www.truefoodnow.org
and and www.pannna.org www.organicconsumers
.org
CONTACT: Alisa Arnett, Greenpeace media, (415) 255-9221, ext. 330; (415)
407-9293 mobile or Jeanne Merrill, Greenpeace GE Campaigner (415) 999-4249.
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