Summary: Radiation induced mutants are more risky for food than GMO.

The mutations resulting from induced mutagenesis, e.g., radiation, are unknown, uncharacterised, mutated proteins are not isolated, thus not tested for health impact. Quite artificial peptides might result from, e.g., frame-shift mutations. Nevertheless, crops induced in this way are declared (by EU Directives and Regulation) safe, precautionary principle is not applied, risk assessment is not requested. From my experience with radiation mutagenesis I must consider food derived from such mutants more risky (e.g., induction of allergy) than food produced from GMO. I am convinced that consumers will prefer labelling "food made from radiation mutants" rather than "contains GMO" - if they are asked. But nobody would dare to ask such question from political reasons (all Italian pasta should be labelled!). My conclusion: the focus on GMO rather than on other breeding methods is of political and economical (agro-import to Europe) nature without scientific support.

Prof. Jaroslav Drobník,
Professor of biophysics, emeritus of the Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic