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Researchers Say Consumers Shouldn't Be Too Concerned

Consumers should not be too worried over reports of an unapproved biotech corn found in Taco Bell taco shells, a New Mexico State University plant genetics researcher says.

John D. Kemp, an expert in the class of genes in question, said the family of proteins involved has never been implicated in human allergies, either.

"Although I do think the protein in question should not be available to consumers until studies are finished and clearly demonstrate it is not allergenic, I also think this whole thing is a bunch of hype coming from environmental organizations looking for some reason to protest biotechnology," Kemp said.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating whether taco shells sold in stores under the Taco Bell name contain a variety of biotech corn that isn't approved for human consumption due to questions about whether it could cause allergic reactions.

The crop, genetically engineered to kill an insect, is grown on less than 1 percent of the total U.S. corn acreage and approved for use only in animal feed. But tests commissioned by an anti-biotech environmental group found traces of the corn in taco shells purchased in suburban Washington.

The FDA may have its own tests done. Kraft Foods Co., which made the taco shells, said it would consider a recall if further testing confirmed the initial results.

Tests can give a false-positive result, especially at low levels, said Kemp, who said he works with the same class of gene in NMSU research.

"You have to be very careful with a test like this and reproduce the test several times," he said. "And even if there is proof that one percent or less of the corn is genetically engineered corn, that doesn't mean that there also is the indication that it is allergenic."

The Cry9C protein produced in the corn is similar to a family of proteins that have been approved and used for some time to protect corn and other crops from insect damage, said Kemp, a professor with NMSU's plant pathology, entomology and weed science department.

He said the particular protein hasn't been studied as extensively as others in the same family, which are very toxic to specific insects but not to animals, plants or humans. Kemp said the proteins' biggest advantage is that they eliminate pesticides and associatedcosts by giving plants a gene to protect themselves from insects.

Champa Sengupta-Gopalan, an NMSU professor in agronomy and horticulture, said she does not believe the particular protein family is an allergen for humans because most have already been routinely used on plants without negative reaction.

"I think people who are afraid or concerned don't really understand these proteins," Sengupta-Gopalan said. "Because these proteins really do protect our environment. Imagine how many chemicals we'd have to put on our plants to protect them from insects without the use of proteins."