PepsiCo has contracted with a company called Senomyx to conduct research and presumably use their flavor enhancement ingredient developed using the HEK-293 (Human Embryonic Kidney) cell line in future products.  While the actual cells are not known to be physically present in the flavor enhancer itself, the close association with aborted fetal tissue and food/beverage products is revolting, to say the least -- even if it is currently only being used for research purposes as PepsiCo claims.

·         The HEK-293 cell line was originated with a healthy aborted  fetus in the 1970’s.
·         These cells have been kept “alive” and reproducing by periodically changing out the nutrition medium (broth) they are cultured in.
·         The cells are used as a kind of test tube to produce a certain protein that alerts Senomyx scientists that the flavor enhancer they are working on has “developed” to the right taste response they are looking to produce with the product.
·         PepsiCo has admitted to contracting with Senomyx to develop and produce flavor enhancing additives that either are currently or will be used in their products.  PepsiCo claims this is to reduce the amount of sugar used in their products.  However, at this point, it remains when they will be using the sweenters provided by Senomyx.
·         The use of human products in food is illegal, morally, and ethically wrong.  Pepsi and Senomyx are able to get away with this disgusting process because they claim that no human cells are passed from the development of the flavor enhancement to the actual consumed product and "it's research for future global products". 
·         Pepsi claims to be using Senomyx and the HEK-293 flavor enhancer to produce better tasting products with lower calories.
·         Senomyx and Pepsi have the option to use several non-human alternative cells to produce the desired results, but have chosen to use artificially “living” aborted human fetus cells instead.  Why?

Regardless of where we stand on the abortion issue, as decent human beings, we must collectively object to this use of aborted fetal tissue and sign this petition to express our displeasure and disgust toward PepsiCo for choosing to use this repulsive practice in preparing our food and beverage products.

View articles regarding this issue:

Pepsi shareholders demand company stop using aborted fetal cell lines in flavor research​

Products and Companies That Use Aborted Fetuses​

Pepsi Uses Aborted Fetal Cells In Flavor Enhancers​

Senomyx Patent for Flavor Enhancers​

SENOMYX, SWEETER THAN SWEET; SALTIER THAN SALT; MORE SOUR THAN AN ABORTED FETUS​

Senomyx Flavor Programs - From their own website

PepsiCo's response to my signature of this petition:
Dear Lonnie,

Thank you for contacting us at PepsiCo. We appreciate your thoughtful feedback and would like to take a moment to share some information we hope you will find helpful.

First, Senomyx does not provide ingredients to PepsiCo, nor do they manufacture PepsiCo products. Our work with Senomyx is focused on beverage sweetener research to help us reduce sugar in future global products. The integrity of our products is critical to PepsiCo as well as our consumers, and we use only ingredients that meet FDA requirements. Senomyx utilizes well-established and long-approved research processes that are widely used today by many companies within the food and beverage industry. As with each of our research partners, Senomyx is required to meet all relevant industry and government regulatory standards in all its processes and methods.

Thanks again for writing.


Max
Consumer Relations Representative

Of course he provided no way to contact him directly and used a "no-reply" email address so I cannot follow-up with a line of questions regarding this issue.  Regardless of PepsiCo's current use of the sweetner, the very fact that they pay to have this kind of research done using aborted fetal tissue for future prodcuts is enough for my family to go ahead a boycott their products from this point forward -- just to make sure.