Don't trust FDA on food labeling

I can't quite swallow your editorial contention that any rules for labeling genetically modified food should be done by the Food and Drug Administration with input from the food industry. There is a revolving door between the FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture and the worst elements of the chemical/biotech industry so they are more interested in profit than in safety.

Consider the grand contradiction regarding genetically modified crops. First, companies like Monsanto claim that they have a unique product and it deserves a patent. But when it comes to safety testing, the FDA has declared that none is necessary since the traditional and the genetically engineered crops are substantially equivalent. How convenient — unique enough to patent, but allegedly similar enough to avoid safety testing.

The editorial claims that even the slightest amount of genetically engineered ingredient would need to be labeled, but the legalese says that there is no need to label if an ingredient weighs less than half of 1 percent of the product's weight.

BRUCE CAMPBELL

Los Angeles