Several officials in the Food and Drug Administration have disagreed with the agency’s conclusion that genetically modified foods should be regulated the same way as conventional foods and accused the FDA of siding with industry at the expense of consumers, according to internal agency memorandums read yesterday at a public hearing. The documents are part of a lawsuit filed by the Alliance for Bio-Integrity that seeks to force mandatory safety testing and labeling of GM foods. Other enviros and consumer advocates also called for testing and labeling at the public hearing, one of three the FDA has scheduled to get input from the public and a range of scientists on the subject.
