And a twelve-legged chicken in every pot

And a twelve-legged chicken in every pot

Posted on September 18th, 2008 by Olga Gardner Galvin

That the FDA will consider proposals to sell the public genetically engineered meat doesn’t surprise me. It was only a matter of time. It’s probably a foregone conclusion that the FDA will also find it safe for human consumption — what’s another “oops”? Besides, maybe it is safe. What piques my interest is the controversy over labeling such foods: the producers demand — and the FDA appears to be inclined to humor them — that such food not be labeled because of the ignorant consumer’s fear of the unknown. Since the gross-out factor is pretty high, they argue, it’s best we don’t even know that all the thighs in the family pack came from the same chicken.

I already buy only chicken labeled “no antibiotics” (because “no hormones” label on a chicken is laughable: chickens aren’t raised with hormones; that’s for meat). Do you think the old-fashioned producers will be allowed to label their product “no DNA messing”? Does anyone know of an organized active resistance to this what-you-don’t-know-won’t-creep-you-out school of thought? I want to join.