---

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will require the Health Safety Executive to institute prosecution proceedings against Zeneca for a breach of the regulations governing the escape into the environment, through the consumption by Zeneca staff of genetically modified tomatoes and tomato seeds. [73402] Mr. Meacher: HSE inspectors have sought clarification from Zeneca regarding reports in the national press that members of staff have eaten whole genetically modified tomatoes as part of taste trials. If this had taken place it would have represented a possible breach of environmental safety regulations. This is because tomatoes are a seed bearing fruit and the inadvertent dispersal of seeds from genetically modified tomatoes could have given rise to growth of genetically modified plants in the environment. The concern would have been that seeds would have dispersed through the sewage system, thereby breaching containment requirements. It has been found that there were major inaccuracies in the reporting. In particular, it would appear that taste trials have only been undertaken using tomato tissues from which all seeds have been removed. Therefore, there would not appear to have been any breach of environmental safety legislation. The photograph of Zeneca staff eating whole tomatoes, which appeared in one newspaper, was posed for the cameras using non-modified tomatoes.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

326 c509W; 73402

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Genetically modified organisms Health and Safety Executive Food Prosecutions Safety Tomatoes Zeneca