WASHINGTON - A nationwide recall of Morningstar Farms  meat-free Corn Dogs was announced yesterday by  Kellogg's, after the company acknowledged that the  products contained StarLink corn, a variety of gene-altered  corn that is not approved for human consumption. Last  week, Greenpeace revealed that an independent laboratory  found the StarLink contamination, but Kellogg's refused to  follow other food companies who immediately pulled  products that tested positive for the illegal corn, instead waiting nearly a week before issuing the recall.   

"Kellogg's slow response to this corn crisis is a warning to  consumers who don't want genetic experiments in their  food - be wary of all Kellogg's corn products," said Charles  Margulis, a Greenpeace Genetic Engineering Specialist.  "Kellogg's admits that it uses genetically engineered  ingredients, but it refuses to label these risky foods."   

In laboratory analyses commissioned by Greenpeace,  Kellogg's Morningstar Farms brand meat-free corn dog  tested positive for StarLink. The corn dog and two other  products tested positive for genetically altered soy. A series  of letters and e-mails from Kellogg's to consumers claims  that Morningstar Farms brand foods are made without gene- altered soy. Concerned that Kellogg's was stalling on  removing the tainted corn dogs, Greenpeace sent more  samples for independent testing, and a second lab confirmed the presence of StarLink in Kellogg's corn.  

"Kellogg's now has an obligation to test every corn product it  makes to determine just how far this StarLink contamination  has gone," added Margulis. "For six months Kellogg's has  been assuring consumers that its Morningstar products  don't contain genetically modifed soy, yet we found gene  altered soy and illegal GE corn in these Kellogg's foods.  What does this mean for all its other products?"  

Last October, Kellogg's was forced to stop production at a  Memphis plant due to concerns about StarLink  contamination, but the company claimed that no food  products were affected. Kellogg's refused to respond to a Greenpeace survey asking about StarLink or other  genetically engineered ingredients in its products.   

"Americans are shopping in the dark when they buy  Morningstar Farms products," said Margulis. "These  genetically tainted foods are not labeled, and Kellogg's can't  be trusted. We urge consumers to stop buying Morningstar  Farms products until Kellogg's promises to stop using all gene altered ingredients in all of its U.S. products."   

 ENDS