FDA Makes Us 'Guinea Pigs' With Frankenfood

Had anything to eat today? Congratulations, you're a "guinea pig" in the brave new world of genetically modified food, writes Mark Bittman. What's more, you've got no say in the matter. Lots of our food products already contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and more are on the way, but federal regulators refuse to require them to be labeled as such, he complains in the New York Times.

If you think the science is iffy and would prefer to avoid Frankenfood, tough luck. Not even an "organic" label will help in the US. This is "demeaning and undemocratic, and the real reason is clear: producers and producer-friendly agencies correctly suspect that consumers will steer clear of G.E. products if they can identify them," writes Bittman. "Which may make them unprofitable. Where is the free market when we need it?" (More genetically modified crops stories.)