Unilever says gene food is weapon against hunger
RTw 17.10.97 02:33
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By Christopher Lyddon
ROTTERDAM, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The head of one of Europe's largest
food companies strongly defended the use of modern science to
expand the world's food supply on Thursday despite a recent
public outcry over genetically modified grain crops.
Morris Tabaksblat, chairman of the Dutch arm of Anglo-Dutch
multinational Unilever told grain companies they should take it
on themselves to win public confidence in the novel crops after
European governments had failed to get fully to grips with a
protest campaign by ecologists.
Investing in the more productive technology would also help
reduce global hunger.
"Modern biotechnology is here to stay," Tabaksblat told
nearly 2,000 traders at Europe's largest annual trade gathering,
coinciding this year with the United Nations' World Food Day
called to raise awareness of world hunger.
"It will be a key technology in future, making it possible
to feed a sharply rising world population, in addition to further
quality improvements," he said.
Unilever and other major processors have millions of dollars at
stake in public acceptance of genetically modified food
ingredients. Greenpeace and other environmentalist groups want
them banned, saying there is no proof they are safe.
Tabaksblat said he recognised the importance of regulating
so-called Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) like maize and
soya, first planted by farmers in the United States.
But private companies would have to help governments spread the
message to consumers in Europe, which has been the focus of
repeated protests over GMO imports as well as the loss of
consumer confidence triggered by last year's beef crisis.
"We cannot expect individual consumers to change their
perceptions and emotional framework overnight," Tabaksblat
said, adding that his own company had tested the new products and
found them to be safe.
"We should also recognise that while modern biotechnology --
properly managed -- is a good servant, it is a bad master. We
should also acknowledgge the importance of proper control."
Sixty percent of processed food contains soya, he said.
He vowed that Unilever would protect consumers who do not want to
buy food containing genetically tampered material.
"If in some countries the public wants GMO free products,
then (Unilever) will try to find them, whether this means buying
other ingredients or reverting to traditional raw
materials."
"If we fail to respect consumers' views, we should not be
doing our jobs properly."
While disputes over the safety of genetic foods have sparked
calls for a consumer boycott or compulsory labelling in parts of
Europe, notably Germany, the United States has defended GMOs as a
way to grow more for less and address world hunger.
The European Union has said all food and primary products which
contain GMOs must be labelled as such and that it will introduce
legislation to enforce this.
REUTERS