For Immediate Release Contact: Lisa Archer, 301-379-9629

April 22, 2002 Kate Madigan, 323-251-2927

consumer campaign targeting Kraft Foods IN 150 cities

Groups in New Jersey call on shareholders to remove genetically

engineered foods from Kraft products

East Hanover, New Jersey -- Genetically Engineered Food Alert, a coalition of environmental and consumer groups, joined thousands of other consumer advocates in over 150 cities around the United States in a week of public education and demonstrations calling on Kraft Foods company to remove genetically engineered ingredients from its products. The week of actions culminated today in East Hanover, NJ, where Kraft Foods is holding its first shareholder meeting since spinning off from the Philip Morris Company.

Coalition members and concerned consumers demonstrated outside the meeting to draw attention to the environmental and public health concerns associated with genetically engineered foods found in Kraft products. Activists also raised the financial concerns that these untested and unlabeled ingredients pose to shareholders, and urge Kraft Foods to remove GE ingredients immediately.

“Kraft Foods needs to listen to its customers and its shareholders when it comes to genetically engineered foods,” said Amy Perry from Green Century Capital Management. “Green Century administers a mutual fund which holds stock in Kraft Foods as a way to press the company for change. The company is aware of the potential health and environmental risks of genetically engineered foods, yet they have chosen profit over precaution; a strategy likely to have long term repercussions,” continued Perry.

Activists pointed to a lack of corporate responsibility on behalf of Kraft, indicating that this is not the first time that the company has dealt with controversy over their use of genetically engineered ingredients in their products.

Consumer demand in Europe has forced Kraft Foods to provide products that are free of genetically engineered ingredients. The company has yet to offer such alternatives in the United States.

“Kraft’s continued use of untested and unlabeled genetically engineered foods in the United States shows that Kraft Foods has as little concern about public health as its parent company--tobacco giant Philip Morris,” said Lisa Archer, grassroots coordinator for Friends of the Earth, a member group of the Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition.

Genetically Engineered Food Alert also pointed to Kraft’s second round of problems with the use of genetically engineered crops, this time in the United States. In September of 2000, through independent testing, Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition discovered StarLink ™, a genetically engineered corn not approved for human consumption (because of concerns that it has characteristics of known allergens) in Taco Bell brand taco shells, a Kraft product. This finding resulted in Kraft recalling millions of boxes of taco shells and a switch by the company to non-engineered white corn to avoid further StarLink™ contamination.

Kraft has already felt financial repercussions of using genetically engineered ingredients due to the finding of StarLink™ corn in one of its products. According to a Reuters article, Kraft recalled over 636,000 cases of Taco Bell taco shells, valuing over $10 million in lost revenues from those products.

“Not only do these ingredients pose risks to public health and the environment, they also pose unnecessary financial risk to Kraft shareholders,” said Kate Madigan, corporate advocate for the State PIRGs, a member group of the Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition. “Continued use of genetically engineered foods may lead to increased consumer backlash, negative publicity, and serious legal and insurance liabilities.”

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Communications by the coalition to Kraft Foods as well as test results may be found at www.gefoodalert.org

Consumer and environmental advocates representing Genetically Engineered Food Alert have requested a meeting with Kraft CEO Betsy Holden to discuss environmental and public health issues related to the use of genetically engineered ingredients in their products, but the request thus far has been denied.

Independent testing by the Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition and member groups confirms the use of genetically engineered ingredients in Kraft products, including engineered corn and soy. The tests commissioned by the coalition determined that a variety of Kraft products including Taco Bell taco shells, Boca Burgers, Snackwell’s crackers, Lunchables, Tombstone Pizzas, Post Blueberry Morning Cereal, and Stove Top Stuffing contained genetically engineered ingredients.

Genetically Engineered Food Alert, a coalition of health, consumer and environmental groups, supports the removal of genetically engineered ingredients from grocery store shelves unless they are adequately safety tested and labeled. Genetically Engineered Food Alert founding members include: Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, National Environmental Trust, Organic Consumers Association, Pesticide Action Network North America, and the State Public Interest Research Groups.