Hold on the milk says top scientist

18 October 2000

A leading UK animal scientist claims he would not drink milk from cows fed the GM maize that is currently being scrutinised at a Government public hearing.

Professor Bob Orskov OBE, Director of the International Feed Resource Unit in Aberdeen appeared as an expert witness for Friends of the Earth at the national seed list hearing in London. The hearing is considering objections to a Government proposal to allow Chardon LL, the first GM maize to be licensed for sale in the UK. He believes that, "The scientific case put forward for this GM maize is not adequate" and says that "if the GM maize was approved for commercial growing in the UK then people would be justified in turning their back on consuming milk derived from it... As a scientist I wouldn't drink milk from cows fed GM maize with the present state of knowledge."

Professor Orskov's fears were also shared by another eminent scientist giving evidence today. Dr Vyvyan Howard, Head of the Foetal and Infant Toxico-Pathology Group at the University of Liverpool, said, "My interpretation is that this GM maize has not been tested thoroughly".

At the hearing, safety data presented by Aventis, the biotech firm that owns the maize, has been heavily criticised. The GM maize has not been tested on cattle, even though it is intended for their use. The company has tested its use on rats and broiler chickens despite very different internal organs.

Professor Orskov, one of the country's leading experts on ruminant nutrition is adamant that the GM maize should be thoroughly tested on cattle before being introduced commercially as animal feed. "We need to carry out proper, long-term tests both on the effect of the maize silage for the microbes in the stomach of the ruminants which digest the feed and on the host animals," said Orskov. "There is also a serious problem of perception by the consuming public. Since adults do not have a requirement for milk they could switch to other foods. Aventis needs to pay attention to this. If the GM maize was approved for commercial growing in the UK then people would be justified in turning their back on consuming milk derived from it. This would have a disastrous effect on our dairy industry. As a scientist I wouldn't drink milk from cows fed GM maize with the present state of knowledge."

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