NFPA SAYS PHARMA-CORN INCIDENT VALIDATES FOOD INDUSTRY CONCERNS

November 13, 2002
NFPA Media Release

(Washington, D.C.) ­ National Food Processors Association President and CEO
John R. Cady issued the following statement in response to news that
experimental corn which is genetically modified to produce pharmaceutical
agents was improperly harvested and introduced to commercial storage for
distribution:

We are thankful that the inadvertent harvesting and distribution of an
unapproved, experimental corn was stopped before it threatened the integrity
of the food supply with the introduction of non-food substances deliberately
produced in this crop.

However, it is nothing short of alarming to know that at the earliest
stages of the development of crops for plant-made pharmaceuticals, the most
basic preventive measures were not faithfully observed.  This apparent
violation of rules intended to control the unauthorized spread of these
substances very nearly placed the integrity of the food supply in jeopardy.

For this reason, NFPA supports mandatory regulatory oversight to prevent
contamination and adulteration of the food supply with plant-made
pharmaceuticals and industrial compounds that are not approved as human food
or animal feed ingredients.  We believe the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and Food and Drug Administration should impose a stringent and mandatory
regulatory framework to ensure protection of the U.S. food supply and U.S.
food exports from any inadvertent or even intentional contamination by
plant-made materials that have not been approved for human food and animal
feed purposes.

In NFPAıs view, there is an unacceptable risk to the integrity of the food
supply associated with the use of food and feed crops as 'factories' for the
production of pharmaceuticals or industrial chemicals without mandatory
regulations and necessary verification in place.  In addition, serious
thought should be given to alternative plant varieties that are neither food
nor feed crops for use in development of plant-made pharmaceutical and
industrial compounds.  Choosing the alternatives will help avoid co-mingling
of crops grown as food and feed with crops producing substances unapproved
for human consumption, which could result in adulteration of the food
supply, if not a public health risk.

While fortunately the potential threat posed in this situation was averted,
this incident presents validation of the food industryıs concerns that
voluntary protections are not sufficient to protect the integrity and safety
of the food supply.

The National Food Processors Association (NFPA) is the voice of the $500
billion food processing industry on scientific and public policy issues
involving food safety, food security, nutrition, technical and regulatory
matters and consumer affairs.