Bioengineered Corn Also Found in Safeway Brand Taco Shells

The same environmental group that found genetically altered corn in Taco Bell taco shells said Wednesday it found evidence of the same animal-grade corn in a private label brand sold by one of the nation’s largest supermarket chains.

Washington-based Friends of the Earth said StarLink corn, which has not been approved for use in human food, has been found in Safeway brand taco shells. The controversial corn, which contains a plant pesticide, may be hard for humans to digest.

The protein from StarLink corn was discovered in laboratory tests of corn-based products commissioned by Friends of the Earth and other environmental and consumer groups. The coalition asked Safeway to recall the taco shells.

Safeway officials did not immediately comment.

The news comes just weeks after Taco Bell brand taco shells were pulled from grocery stores by their distributor Kraft Foods and the restaurant chain of the same name.

The Food and Drug Administration officially recalled the Taco Bell products last week. Meanwhile, the corn’s developer, Aventis, under the direction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has agreed to purchase the StarLink crops that are being grown in the U.S., an undertaking estimated to cost the company $68 million.