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News Releases Pesticide
Residues, Natural Toxins and GMOs: Real and Perceived Risks The latest publication from the British Crop Production Council examines the real and perceived risks associated with pesticide residues, natural toxins and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Entitled Human Exposure to Pesticide Residues, Natural Toxins and GMOs: Real and Perceived Risks, this 81-page book is a full record of the proceedings from the one-day symposium of the same name which was held in Brighton on Monday 13 November 2000. The day began with an outline of the current regulatory requirements for pesticides and showed how the requirements have become increasingly more complex and expensive. The role of dietary exposure and worst-case risk assessments was then examined. The debate subsequently moved on to look at the role that pesticides play in reducing our total exposure to food borne toxicants and contrasted the low level of public interest in these natural toxins with the heightened concerns raised by the mere presence of any pesticide residue in food. The fact that few people want to hear about natural toxicants, however, is no reason for regulatory authorities to ignore them. The risks posed by mycotoxins and the need for control and regulation on an international level was the next topic under discussion. It became apparent that the methodologies for monitoring these natural toxicants are critical if we are to replace prejudice with facts. Finally the symposium turned to GMOs with, firstly, a clear and helpful account of what is being done to test their safety through the concept of substantial equivalence. This was followed by a critical and revealing review of how the current public crisis of confidence in GM crops came about and some suggestions as to how the current impasse might be resolved. Summarising the day's discussions, Professor Sir Colin Berry, suggested that the symposium title was back to front: "We have decades of well-controlled observations on the effects of pesticides and can make data-based risk assessments from which it is clear that risks are low. We know next to nothing about the long-term effects or the level of natural toxicants we ingest or the hazards relating to 'organic food' consumption, other than the generalisation that pesticide and toxin ingestion is likely to be higher than with conventionally produced food. This is truly an area needing a risk vs hazard evaluation. Finally with GMO's it is almost all speculation; we are still in the stage of hazard identification." Copies of Human Exposure to Pesticide Residues, Natural Toxins and GMOs: Real and Perceived Risks cost £15 plus delivery. Orders can either be sent to BCPC Publications Sales, Bear Farm, Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 5QE, UK, Tel: +44 (0) 118 934 2727, Fax: +44 (0) 118 934 1998, Email: publications@bcpc.org, or placed via secure server from the BCPC web site at www.bcpc.org/publications.
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