As currently structured, FDA already has a mandatory labeling requirement that should assure any consumer that if the food product they are eating is significantly different from its original form, such as containing an allergen or new proteins, it would have to be labeled with that information. And if we didn't believe that, we wouldn't be selling them and we certainly wouldn't be eating them. I would never permit an American child to eat anything I thought was unsafe. The impact of biotechnology is far-reaching. Bioremediation technologies are cleaning our environment by removing toxic substances from contaminated soils and groundwater.
Agricultural biotechnology reduces our dependence on pesticides.
Manufacturing processes based on biotechnology make it possible to produce paper and chemicals with less energy, less pollution and less waste. From the standpoint of the Food and Drug Administration, the important thing for consumers to know about these new foods is that they will be every bit as safe as other foods now on store shelves. All foods, whether traditionally bred or genetically engineered, must meet the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. From a purely scientific perspective, it's an odd question. We already have.