Consumers will remain gravely suspicious of GM foods until their benefits are backed by much more independent research, according to the director of Teagasc, Dr Liam Downey.
"Unless consumer confidence in genetic engineering is established, it may suffer the same fate as food irradiation," he warned yesterday.
There was widespread acceptance that biotechnology had immense benefits in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, he said.
"Therefore, society is not against biotechnology per se. However, consumers perceive the benefits of agri-food biotechnology are largely captured by multinational companies, and to some degree by farmers."
Moreover, consumers were sceptical about the demonstrable benefits to food products from the technology, he said . Teagasc was committed to carrying out an extensive study of the environmental impact of any GM crops that might be grown in Ireland.
Crucial to securing consumer confidence within the European context, he said, was the establishment of a credible, regulatory framework for biotechnology. "The Food and Drug Administration has done an excellent job in developing a rational and trusting public attitude to biotechnology in the US. We need a similar organisation for Europe."
A particular need was for public research institutions to evaluate GM crops, both in terms of agronomic benefits and environmental risks, yet in many EU countries publicly-funded research had been significantly eroded. Such independent bodies had carried out "credible, independent research which gave consumers confidence in the new and emerging technologies now commonplace in agriculture".
Dr Downey added: "Society must have trustworthy, credible and impartial reassurance of the environmental risks that are associated with GM crops. There would be great merit in having a science-based audit undertaken of the benefits and potential risks associated with biotechnology."
Teagasc has endorsed the conclusion in a Forfas study that biotechnology is one of four "key technologies" needing to be fully adopted by the agri-food industry over the next 15 years.
Its GM research at the National Tillage Research Centre in Carlow is to be significantly expanded. The State's agricultural research body has identified the need to step up research in both biotechnology and organic farming.
The US ambassador to Ireland, Mr Mike Sullivan, acknowledged there was tension between the US and Europe over GM foods, food safety and trade. His attendance at the National Ploughing Championships was an opportunity for discussion, which was "the only way to handle this".
Both sides wanted to produce food in an environmentally acceptable way, but this had to be reinforced by "open and transparent scientific evaluation". He accepted there was higher sensitivity in Europe because of "past circumstances". The US wanted to assure consumers on the safety of GM foods and advance the technology which, he said, had efficiency and environmental benefits.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, said farmers and food processors had to accept "substantially greater requirements in relation to food safety, quality and animal welfare". More stringent controls would extend over the entire food chain, he added. "Food safety remains central to future policy, both for the protection of Irish consumers and the development of overseas markets."
Bacon that is "quality assured" is to be promoted in a £300,000 campaign by Bord Bia during October. Irish people consume more pork and bacon than any other meat, said Mr Michael Duffy, its chief executive. "Quality assured bacon" is identified by a green Q mark with a shamrock inside.
