An edited version of the following letter was published in the February 19th 1998 edition of the
Dorchester Guardian
Dear Sir,
Share your gene concerns
Helen Ellery (letters 29th January) is in good company when voicing her disquiet about the risks associated with genetically engineered foods.
On 3rd February the Scottish Daily Record reported an interview with Professor Philip James, an acknowledged health expert at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen who has been recently appointed a member of the new Foods Standards Agency. The agency was established by the government earlier this year to oversee public food safety standards.
On genetically modified foods Professor James is quoted by the Scottish Daily Record as saying: ""The perception that everything is totally straightforward and safe is utterly naive. I don't think we fully understand the dimensions of what we're getting into."
In the light of Professor James’ remarks, and similar comments by many other scientists including Nobel prize winners, it is completely scandalous that genetically modified ingredients are already being included in our foods without consumers being openly informed.
It is not acceptable for supermarkets and their suppliers to say that they are unable to test for such ingredients as simple laboratory procedures are now available to detect such material to a sensitivity of one part in ten thousand.
At present the only way for consumers to be sure of avoiding genetically modified foods is either to buy approved organic produce or to make purchases from such suppliers as Iceland Foods own brand products which are all acquired from non-genetically modified sources only.
Other retailers have plans to introduce labelling of genetically modified foods, but only in very limited circumstances. More than 60% of processed foods can now potentially have unlabelled genetically modified ingredients, and most of these will not be labelled under the new labelling scheme.
Until full disclosure labelling is introduced by all retailers, consumers throughout Dorset should demand directly from their local supermarket managers that each store establishes a special section which provides only products known to be free of genetically modified ingredients. Only in this way will consumers be able to buy food with any reasonable degree of peace of mind.
Further details of the dangers of genetically engineered foods can be obtained from the Wessex Natural Law Party Internet site at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/natural_law_wessex.
Yours faithfully,
Mark Griffiths BSc FRICS FAAV
Regional Leader, Dorset, Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Dorchester Guardian, 16 A High East St, Dorchester, DTI IHH. Tel/fax 01305 264060.
Dorchester Guardian editorial on genetically modified foods
(Footnote: The Food Standards Agency is at the design stage as at February 1998 based on Professor James' report May 1997. The agency will be formally constituted following completion of the consultation process arising from the Government White Paper published January 1998. It is intended that the agency will be fully operational by 1999.)
What leading scientists and public figures have
said about the dangers of genetically modified foods
Natural Law Party supports gmo move by Iceland Foods
Company develops lab service for detecting gmos in
harvested crops
Promoting Sustainable Agriculture
(NLP live on Radio Wye Valley on GMOs - free audio cassette)
Natural Law Party campaign to ban genetically modified foods in Wessex
