-Caveat Lector- ~~~~~~~~~~~~ A<>E<>R The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Forwarded as information only; no endorsement to be presumed + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ---------- : From: LM <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> : To: LM-commentary <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> : Subject: LM COMMENTARY: GM food panic/02-17-99 : Date: Wednesday, February 17, 1999 10:23 AM : : : Food frights : : The panic about GM food is not based on science or fact, but on fear, : argues Tony Gilland : : Scares about genetically modified (GM) food have exploded over the past : week, with consumer and environment groups calling for a ban and national : newspapers pressuring the government for 'more information'. Why has this : issue hit the headlines now? As Professor Derek Burke wrote in last : Saturday's Guardian, 'nothing new has happened to cause this stir. Nobody : has died, nobody is even sick, just nothing has happened'. : : But 'nothing new' can be big news when it comes to GM food. Take the : example of the statement signed by 20 international scientists last Friday, : arguing that experiments had shown 'very clearly that the transgenic : GNA-potato had significant effects on immune function [in rats]'. This : immediately led to headlines like 'Alarm over "Frankenstein foods"' and : 'Food scandals exposed'. Nobody mentioned that toxins harmful to humans : exist in many 'natural' food products, and that the GNA-potato has not even : been put forward for approval yet, much less been approved. : : The scares about GM food are based not on science or fact, but on fear. : Many argue that these fears are generated by the public, with 'survey after : survey' apparently revealing how we are all 'concerned' about the possible : dangers of genetically modified ingredients. But in reality the negative : reaction to GM food is coming from interest groups, the media and : politicians. What 'survey after survey' really reveal is how successful : campaign groups have been in using the media to instil fear and prejudice : on this issue. : : Until the recent panic there had not been much impact on the public's : buying habits. Over 1.6 million tins of genetically modified tomato puree : have been sold, despite being clearly labelled as GM and being on the : adjacent supermarket shelf to conventional tomato puree. Supermarket : managers and food companies admitted to being bemused by how few enquiries : they had had about GM products - but now, after a week of scares, : Sainsbury's has launched its own telephone helpline dedicated to answering : questions about GM food, since its general information helpline had been : flooded with worried callers in recent days. The bandwagon of fear rolls : on, showing that the public may well be persuaded that we are in the throes : of a major food safety crisis, despite the fact that nobody has died, : nobody has got sick, and people seem to enjoy GM tomato puree. : : What of the government's role in the GM panic? Tony Blair has insisted that : we should focus on the 'science of the matter' and has even taken the 'John : Gummer approach' by demonstrating his own willingness to eat GM food. But : the New Labour government has consistently avoided confronting the scare : stories generated by campaign groups, and has sought to include such groups : in the decision-making process. New Labour is keen to tighten up food : regulations, not based on scientific evidence or a real need, but in order : to assuage the 'public concerns' that the campaign groups have played such : a major part in creating. : : Until more people are prepared to challenge the way in which the flow of : 'information' to consumers and the public is controlled by a minority of : people within campaign groups and sections of the media, the ability of : consumers - and society - to enjoy the benefits of GM technology will be : undermined. : : : ------------------------------------------------------------------ : If you are not on this mailing list and would like to join, create a mail : from the address at which you would like to receive the commentaries - : : To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> : Body: Subscribe LM-commentary Yourname : : You should receive a confirmation of your subscription to the list. : : To unsubscribe, create a mail from the address at which you are subscribed : and send to the same address with - : : To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> : Body: Unsubscribe LM-commentary : : If you have problems (un)subscribing, email: : <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. : : ------------------------------------------------------------------ : You don't have to keep this Commentary to yourself. 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