The US biotechnology company, Monsanto, has offered to meet the cookery writer, Ms Darina Allen, to discuss her concerns about growing genetically-modified sugar beet.
This follows a report in yesterday's Irish Times that Ms Allen was opposed to plans to expand trials on genetically-modified crops. In the report, she also criticised the company for secrecy.
A spokesman for Monsanto vigorously repudiated the accusation of secrecy yesterday: "We've produced the maps and grid references of the sites," he told The Irish Times. "We haven't published the names to protect the privacy of the individual farmers and their families, mindful that there was an act of criminal damage last year.
"We understand people requiring further information," he said. "We've offered access to people. The files of the Environmental Protection Agency are open.
"There have been 34,000 field trial in 34 countries, including some of the most stringent from the environmental point of view, like Denmark, Japan and the US. There have been research trials in Europe on sugar beet since 1990, and there has been no evidence of adverse effects on the food chain.
"There are strong environmental benefits from growing Roundup resistant sugar beet. It means that less pesticides are used, and less harmful pesticides are used. At the moment cocktails of sprays are used, including pre-emergent sprays, which stay in the ground. Round-up is biodegradable and less toxic."
The spokesman added that genetically-modified products were already widely used in Irish food, especially cheese and beer, and in medicines. The vegetarian rennet used in cheese was genetically engineered, he said, and there was no evidence of side-effects. Insulin was also genetically engineered.