Ithaca, New York
July 27, 2001
By Linda McCandless
Consumers who want to know more about the genetically engineered
foods they may be eating should consult a brochure produced by
Cornell University. "Genetically Engineered Foods 2001: A
Consumer Guide to What's in Store," is available at Wegmans'
stores and Cornell Cooperative Extension offices throughout New
York.
"The development of this brochure is part of Cornell
University's commitment to educate the public and facilitate
informed public discussion of the issues surrounding genetically
engineered organisms," said Susan Henry, Ronald P. Lynch Dean of
the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at Cornell. "This
brochure provides reliable, science-based information and puts
it directly into the hands of consumers to help them make their
own decisions about genetically engineered organisms."
At less than 1,000 words, the 4-page brochure addresses consumer
concerns with an approach that Wegmans' corporate nutritionist,
Jane Andrews, deems as reliable information presented in a
"balanced manner."
"This brochure fills a real need in consumer education," said
Andrews. "For those consumers who want to know more about this
subject, this brochure gives them the needed information in a
concise manner and points them to additional sources of reliable
information."
The brochure answers four questions in brief: What is genetic
engineering? Why are these products produced? What genetically
engineered foods/ingredients are in food markets? Are
genetically engineered foods safe to eat? Products that might
contain ingredients made from genetically engineered plants are
addressed crop by crop: soybean, corn, canola, cotton, potato,
papaya, squash and zucchini. Dairy, meat products, and
pharmaceuticals and their relationship to biotechnology are also
discussed.
The brochure is a companion piece to two newly revamped Cornell
web sites.
www.geo-pie.cornell.edu/ identifies a variety of issues
about agricultural biotechnology.
www.nysaes.cornell.edu/comm/gmo/ provides links to the
brochure and other Cornell biotech publications as well as
streaming video by 29 presenters from the Cornell Conference on
Agricultural Biotechnology Conference held last November. At
that conference,
presentations and town hall discussions addressed the
development of biotechnology, foods and food safety,
environmental issues, food systems, agricultural biotechnology
in the developing world, and communicating information on
agricultural biotechnology.
The educational initiative is a collaborative effort by
Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell
Cooperative Extension's Genetically Engineered Organisms Public
Issues Education Project.
Linda McCandless, Director
E-mail: llm3@cornell.edu
Communications Services Office: 315-787-2417
NYS Agricultural Experiment Station Cell: 607-227-5920
Jordan Hall 360 North Street Fax: 315-787-2276
Geneva, NY 14456-0462
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/
Cornell University news release
N3685
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