California food warning sets dangerous example
5:03 PM 11/04/03

California's plan to order warning labels on foods containing acrylamide, against the advice of the federal Food and Drug Administration, is a cautionary tale for Wisconsin. With zeal uninformed by common sense, California is making a joke of warning labels. Wisconsin should continue to steer clear of that mistake. <

Acrylamide is a chemical known to cause cancer in animals. It was recently discovered in fried and baked starchy foods like french fries and snack chips. It's also in spinach, beets and a lot of other foods. The early indications are that acrylamide is nothing for humans to worry about, but more research is necessary. So the FDA has launched a two-year study. <

It makes sense to sit tight - as the FDA recommends - until the results are in. But California's warning label rules don't make sense. Through a silly law called Proposition 65, California is required to list chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems and to prohibit companies from exposing people to those chemicals without warning. As a result, everything from fishing rods to parking garages in California carries a warning label. <

And now, french fries, chips and lot of other foods may have to be labeled - maybe even organic bread. <

As a stunt, the American Council on Science and Health announced plans to sue Whole Foods Market because it fails to put warning labels on its whole-grain wheat breads, which the council says contain acrylamide. Fair is fair, since an environmental group sued fast food makers for failing to label french fries. <

California has penned itself in this nonsense corner because Proposition 65 doesn't evaluate relative risks. It's just knee-jerk fear mongering. <

Yes, information is good. But consumers can't be expected to confront a warning label for acrylamide and know what the risk really is. That's why we have state health officials and the FDA. It's the experts' job to test, evaluate and organize the information so consumers can use it to make decisions. <

California is failing in that responsibility, to consumers' detriment.