The leading body of scientists in the UK dealt a surprise blow to advocates of genetically modified food this week when it published a surprisingly critical report.
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The Royal Society had been widely expected to help allay consumer concerns over the safety of GM foods. Instead, the Society called for tougher regulations before GM food is passed as safe for human consumption. It also drew particular attention to the potential risks for babies, who are more susceptible to changes in the nutritional make-up of the food they eat. The Society’s report went on to call for a thorough re-examination of UK and EU laws to ensure testing of any GM ingredients for use in infant formula is particularly stringent. It said the system for testing and approving ingredients should be made “more explicit and objective”.
While the study concluded that there was “no reason” to doubt the safety of GM foods, it said the industry had not worked hard enough to calm consumers’ safety concerns.
Environmental groups latched on to the report as a sign that scientist are waking up to public concern over GM food. Adrian Bebb, GM campaigns director at Friends of the Earth, commented: “It’s quite a big U-turn for them because they’ve had a very pro-GM viewpoint in the past […] I think this report confirms all the concerns raised over the last few years.
Meanwhile, a report released yesterday [Tuesday] by six biotechnology companies confirmed that most British citizens feel they do not have sufficient knowledge about genetically foods. The newly formed Agricultural Biotechnology Council (abc), which includes biotech heavyweights Monsanto, Aventis, BASF, Dow AgroSciences, Dupont and Syngenta, said they took some of blame for this inadequate information stream. “Clearly we have not done ourselves justice in providing good information, valid information to allow a balanced debate,” Syngenta’s head of UK seeds and abc chairman Stephen Smith told reporters at a news briefing.
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