Daily Express (UK) 7/Sept/99

New GM warning over danger chemicals entering food chain

BY JOHN INGHAM ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

A TOP food scientist yesterday plunged the safety of
genetically-modified food into fresh doubt.

He warned that current tests "may be insufficient" for new crops in
development. Dr Andrew Chesson told the Royal Society of Chemistry that
tampering with the genetic make-up of crops could produce new plant
chemicals which may not be spotted by traditional checks.

His strong comments are surprising because he played a leading role in
discrediting the research of former colleague Dr Arpad Pusztai who
sparked a public scare about GM food.

Dr Chesson raised particular concern about crops such as GM oilseed rape
which are grown for industrial oils. The crushed seeds are fed to
animals and any dangerous chemicals could therefore enter the human food
chain.

He said increased safeguards and new methods of disposing of these seeds
may have to be introduced. Dr Chesson, of Aberdeen's internationally-
famous Rowett Research Institute, told delegates: "No technology is
risk-free. We need to be looking to the future."

Dr Pusztai, a Hungarian-born world authority on plant research, lost his
job at the Rowett after claiming that rats fed GM potatoes suffered ill
health. The claims embroiled the Rowett in worldwide controversy.

Dr Chesson chaired the audit committee which ruled there was no evidence
to support Dr Pusztai's claims. Dr Chesson is a member of the
government's Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding Stuffs which holds its
first meeting later this month.

Last night Dr Pusztai, who stands by his findings, welcomed Dr Chesson's
"conversion". He said: "Personal considerations should not really
matter. It is much better that people who are obviously in a position of
power like Dr Chesson have come to realise that you cannot take this
technology on trust.

"But I do not think he has travelled far enough. He talks about
improving analytical procedures but if you do not know what you are
looking for, you are most unlikely to find it."

Pressure group Friends of the Earth said that Dr Chesson had at last
"echoed" their message. Spokesman Adrian Bebb said: "We welcome Dr
Chesson's comments. It is quite clear that GM foods are being forced
into the food chain without adequate safety tests. We welcome reputable
scientists backing our concerns."

Greenpeace last night called for GM ingredients to be removed from the
food chain because of the risks detailed by Dr Chesson.

Earlier this year he told MPs he was satisfied by the safety checks on
GM crops currently being eaten in Britain. But his comments in Edinburgh
yesterday raise doubts about safety checks on all GM crops.

Predicting a rapid expansion of the GM crops grown commercially he said
thought should be given now to new procedures that will have to be
adopted for "better safety scrutiny."He explained that when a plant is
genetically modified, it may cause unexpected changes to its metabolism
leading to new or differing levels of chemicals being produced. And, he
said, these chemicals may pose a risk to human health. He called for
new, more broad-ranging analytical techniques that do not rely on
assumptions as to what is dangerous.
(c) Express Newspapers Ltd