'Frankenstein Food' Store Hit By A Demo

THE "Frankenstein foods" row exploded on to the High Street last night as campaigners stormed a Marks and Spencer store.

Protesters snatched genetically-modified food off the shelves at a Manchester branch, branding it "bio-hazardous waste".

They accused the big five supermarkets of ignoring public opinion to sell the controversial foods.

Campaigner Martin Shaw, of Manchester Against Genetic Engineering, said: "Genetically modified food is unsafe, unpredictable and unnecessary."

The 30 activists were ejected by security guards, but claimed victory when M&S agreed to look for alternatives to GM products. Britain's other big supermarket chains have pledged to label any products which contain GM crops.

The latest scare was sparked after a group of 20 scientists moved to back the findings of Dr Arpad Pusztai.

He found rats fed GM potatoes suffered problems with vital organs, their immune systems were weakened and their brain sizes decreased.

Dr Pusztai is said to have written to a friend claiming a top- level cover- up into his findings. He accused Scottish Office Minister Sam Galbraith of blackening his name after his research was publicly rubbished.

He wrote: "Some MPs ought to know there has been a cover-up, so that when the truth is revealed, they cannot say, "I didn't know what was going on'".

Safeway - the first outlet to sell GM tomatoes three years ago - said they were now trying to avoid modified ingredients. A spokeswoman for Asda said they had been swamped with calls from worried shoppers.

John Longworth, trading law and technical director for Tesco who label GM foods said: "Customers have a right to know more about the products they are buying." Sainsbury's said they offer alternatives to GM products.

Tony Blair has rejected calls for a three-year ban on the sale of GM foods.

Friends of the Earth spokesman Peter Riley said: "The best way to deal with the huge public concern over GM foods is to stop selling them."

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