Claims that genetically modified (GM) foods are of no benefit to consumers do not stand up to examination, according to the US biotech company Monsanto. It has taken exception to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's recent comment that GM foods currently on the market are of no direct benefit to consumers.
Monsanto's business manager in Ireland, Dr Patrick O'Reilly, has accused the FSAI of a "locally-driven" condemnation of GM foods. It was true, he said, to say there were no GM crops being produced in Ireland of benefit to consumers but the global picture indicated large volumes of GM crops already leading to less pesticide use and greater yields for farmers. This was translating into returns for consumers, he said.
At the very least, it was leading to a better environment. He said that within the Irish context, research to be published this week on Monsanto's GM Irish sugar beet trials last year would show that GM beet (engineered to withstand Monsanto's herbicide Round-Up) resulted in 40 per cent less herbicide use compared to that used by Irish farmers growing conventional beet. The GM crop had also generated "a 10 per cent yield benefit".
The controversy surrounding GM foods reached new heights over the past month and pushed aside calm consideration of the many merits of the technology, Monsanto has insisted. It should be noted, Dr O'Reilly said, that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been widely used in the food and drinks industry for some years without adverse effect. GMOs were used in the production of beer, bread-making, cheese-making and the production of syrups and mayonnaises. The reality was that GM crops and plants had been developing using the same technology over 15 years, while food advancements were predicted to come in three main waves. The first was crops with agronomic benefit and already on the market. "Examples are crops with better disease resistance; resistance to insect pests and tolerance to herbicides, such as the sugar beet being tested in Ireland," Dr O`Reilly said.
These, he said, had to be put in the context of 40 per cent of the world's food being lost due to pests and diseases despite advances in crop protection. Improved yields from GM crops in China since the early 1990s had translated into obvious consumer benefits. The second wave was focusing on improved nutritional and quality aspects. "Coming to the market will be soya bean varieties that produce lower cholesterol oil; potatoes with lower fat contents, longer-lasting fruits/vegetables and foods with improved taste and flavour."
Biotechnology provided the ability to create healthier, more nutritious foods, but also to address specific needs in particular parts of the world. The third wave, which was some years away, was the concept of using plants as biofactories; to produce materials normally produced in chemical or pharmaceutical plants. Examples at an advanced research stage included edible vaccines that can be delivered in bananas or potatoes.
The GM food debate over the past few weeks was "reasonably objective" in Ireland compared to the UK, Dr O'Reilly said, though there was some spill-over here with the fallout from the furore over controversial research by Dr Arpad Pusztai which suggested GM foods could impair mammalian systems. Monsanto has vigorously rejected any suggestion its products could lead to such effects. From his involvement in numerous media interviews, particularly on local radio, it was clear that "people want both sides of the story".
