Good point!
As far as I know the food has never been tested for pesticide levels. The
"contaminated" product has not been tested and the experimental corn has not
been tested. All that has been established is that the experimental corn
was put into human food before it had completed its approval process for
human use. This does not mean that it is bad for humans, it just means that
it hasn't been proven safe for humans (as required by law). No one has any
final answer as to whether it will or won't be determined safe for humans.
The experimental corn was designed to produce its own pesticide, at levels
low enough to kill bugs but not bother humans. It is therefore assumed that
the food does contain pesticides. The question is whether the amounts are
low as planned, and whether actual product is nonreactive in humans as
predicted.
The bigger debate is whether untested products should be allowed by default
and withdrawn only after humans have bad reactions, or whether untested
products should be banned by default and only allowed after human testing
shows no bad reactions. The law currently requires the former procedure
which the company violated. I don't think there is any question that the
company broke current health codes. The question is whether current health
codes should be followed.
-- Harvey Newstrom, Security Testing Manager, Fiderus Phone:321-676-4894 Tollfree:866-FIDERUS Mobile:321-258-4809 FAX:321-676-5707 Pager:866-786-1001 or mailto:pager@HarveyNewstrom.com Web: http://HarveyNewstrom.com or http://Fiderus.com> -----Original Message----- > From: owner-extropians@extropy.org > [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.org]On Behalf Of Jeff Davis > Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2000 1:27 PM > To: extropians@extropy.org > Subject: RE: FDA recalls Starlink > > > Extropes, > > Before you get too far into this, I'd like to see clarification of a > crucial point. The bit that I recall reading left the impression that the > Starlink 'contamination' was identified by detecting the GENE that makes > the pesticide, and not the pesticide itself. > > Are there in fact any pesticide residues? Pesticide breakdown products? > Rate of pesticide breakdown? It goes without saying that it would be > useful to get the facts before talking about pesticide residue > accumulation > up the food chain. > > Best, Jeff Davis > > "Everything's hard till you know how to do it." > Ray Charles >
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