13 July 1999 Hindered by Misinformation – genetically modified food debate

Opinion piece related to genetically modified food debate by Dr Geoffrey Savage, Senior Lecturer in Food Biochemistry, Lincoln University, Canterbury, NZ.

If I hear any further pronouncements from so-called experts among the politicians currently riding the genetically modified food bandwagon I will scream! How many voters will actually support these people?

It is true that many New Zealanders are a little uneasy about genetically modified (GM) foods. Some people do not understand the processes involved. A few people are against anything new. One hopes that these people have been persuaded to give up their horses and are now happy to use a motor car. Other people are concerned that the Americans have already decided that these processes and foods are safe. Any nation that can inflict cola drinks and hamburgers on the world needs to be watched very carefully! Don't forget that the United States brought in regulations to control GM food in 1992 and decided not to label food that was ‘substantially equivalent’ to existing foods. The European Union (EU) followed suit in 1994. New Zealand scientists were trying to make the politicians aware of these issues as early as 1992. Why should it be a problem for us now?

One of the problems is that the people who should know about this issue, nutritionists and food scientists, have been amazingly quiet. Why is this? Nutritionists should be able to point out that mankind has been modifying plants and animals for food for thousands of years. Nobody complained about the better quality and increased production of these brave new foods. It's the new technique that concerns people (and the fact that the Americans say it's safe).

These new foods should in fact be embraced by concerned politicians as they will not need to be treated with so many toxic sprays to kill all those fungi and bugs. GM food will be greener!

It is true that some unknown changes may be induced in these new foods. It is a significant challenge to the brightest scientist to test for the unknown. In a sense the food industry is already experimenting on us with these new foods. It is in their interest to make sure that these foods are as safe as possible. We must remember that most of the companies in the food industry are interested in trading and making a profit well into the next century (they do not need to be re-elected!). If they get it wrong it will cost them dearly. The food industry has a vested interest in providing us with good safe food. Every time we purchase food we make a choice.

I have great confidence in my digestive system to degrade even the dullest hamburger. If my digestive enzymes are unable to degrade all these proteins and DNA I have confidence that there are bacteria at the local sewage farm that would just love to have a go at it! I am not sure that my brain can cope with so many dull politicians.

Dr Geoffrey Savage, Senior Lecturer in Food Biochemistry, Lincoln University, Canterbury, NZ.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand