Rice, bread safe to eat — BFAD

The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) has allayed fears that staple foods such as rice, bread and potatoes may contain a cancer-causing substance.

BFAD Administrator William Torres said yesterday there is no reason to fear because the findings of a Stockholm study are not yet conclusive. "The news item is alarming, but to us it has no basis," he said.

According to a Swedish news report, scientists at Stockholm University have found that starch transforms into acrylamide when heated up.

Torres pointed out that the scientists failed to mention the temperature in which acrylamide may be formed. Since Filipinos do not normally overcook food, there is no risk that starchy food could pose a danger.

He added that the results of the study indicated that the substance caused stomach cancer among animals in tests, but there is no basis yet to prove that it would have similar effects on humans.

"We have been eating rice and potatoes for a long time and yet we do not have a high prevalence of stomach cancer in the country and even among the Chinese, who are the No. 1 rice eaters in the world," he said.

While the BFAD has no capability to conduct a study to verify the findings, Torres said they will start looking at the source of the information.

Starch is a carbohydrate found in cereals and potatoes. The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies acrylamide – a colorless, crystalline solid – as a probable carcinogen.

Acrylamide is known to cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous system. Cancer studies also showed that this substance induces gene mutations and causes malignant tumors in animal tests.

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Manuel Villar and Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta called on the government to look closely into the report. Oreta said the government should act quickly because rice is the staple of 76 million Filipinos.

Oreta said the Department of Agriculture and of Health should take the lead in following up on the findings.

"The DA and the DOH should waste no time in verifying this study and undertaking research to determine whether rice has been determined to really contain cancer-causing agents," Oreta said. "This alarming pronouncement from Sweden could alter the food consumption patterns of Filipinos and affect the general health and well-being of millions of Filipinos."

Villar said "our own appropriate research agencies should look into this, conduct their own study and come up with official findings." Villar chairs the Senate committee on food and agriculture.

"It would be disadvantageous and unfair to our farmers if we immediately believe these unsubstantiated reports. That is why it is best for us to come up with our own findings," he said in a statement.

Swedish TV4 television news said the scientists spoke of "enormous global consequences for food production and consumption."

Detailed findings of the Stockholm University study would be made public on Wednesday by Sweden’s National Food Administration.

Oreta had earlier called on the Arroyo administration to come up with clear-cut guidelines on the entry and commercial use of genetically modified plants (GMOs).

She said this would ensure that the use of biotechnology to boost the nation’s food security would not undermine efforts to safeguard public health and protect the environment.

Oreta said the importation of foodstuff like baby food, soybean, corn and potatoes that have been known to contain GMOs or have been genetically modified should be strictly monitored by government agencies to ensure that they do not pose health and environmental risks.

She cited reports showing that 46 food products found to contain GMOs are being sold in the country without consumers knowing their contents owning to the lack of appropriate labeling and government guidelines regulating their entry.

Tests conducted by the Greenpeace environment protection watchdog showed that these food products included children’s snacks, cornstarch, canned and processed meat products and soya drinks.

The Senate had recently adopted an Oreta proposal to anchor the government’s policy on GMOs on the need to safeguard public health and protect the environment from the possible harmful impact of these new plant varieties. — With Aurea Calica