BIO STATEMENT REGARDING TACO BELL TACO SHELL RECALL FROM SUPERMARKETS

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 22, 2000) Carl B. Feldbaum, president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) issued the following statement today on Kraft’s recall of Taco Bell taco shells:

We agree with Kraft’s precautionary recall, even given the fact that there is no evidence of adverse health effects. Confidence in the safety of all food products must be the first, indeed the only priority.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Agriculture have rigorous policies in place, which in this instance may have been violated corn reviewed and approved for animal use may have entered a wholly inappropriate processing channel and ended up in taco shells. It is unclear how this occurred, but we must find out. Measures must be taken so this does not occur again. We will work with the FDA and other regulatory agencies to that end.

BIO represents more than 900 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and more than 27 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

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Kraft's statements and recommendations are available on their website:http://www.kraft.com/special_report/special_news.html