C a t h e r i n e Gr e e n a l l

A Quirk of Destiny
Copyright C a t h e r i n e G r e e n a l l
The right of Catherine Greenall to be identified as author of
this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78
of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 188!
All rights reser"ed! #o part of this publication $ay be reproduced, stored
in a retrie"al syste$, or trans$itted in any for$ or by any $eans,
electronic, $echanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without
the prior per$ission of the publishers!
Any person who co$$its any unauthori%ed act in relation to this
publication $ay be liable to cri$inal prosecution and ci"il clai$s for
da$ages!
&A 'uirk of Destiny& is a work of fiction, although it a based on a huge
a$ount of scientific fact! (any of the e"ents occur in real places! Any
$istakes or alterations to places and facts are the author&s own $istakes
or creati"e in"entions! All characters in this publication are fictitious and
any rese$blance to real persons, li"ing or dead, is purely coincidental!
A C)P catalogue record for this title is a"ailable fro$ the *ritish +ibrary!
ISBN 978 1 84963 227 0
www!austin$acauley!co$
,irst Published -./1.0
Austin 1 (acauley Publishers +td!
.2 Canada 34uare
Canary 5harf
+ondon
617 2+*
Printed 1 *ound in Great *ritain
This book is dedicated to the 3oil Association, Greenpeace,
,riends of the 6arth, G( ,ree%e, G(8,ree Cy$ru, G(8,ree
3cotland, G(8,ree )reland and all those who fight untiringly for
the truth to be heard!
9All that is necessary for the triu$ph of e"il is
that good $en do nothing!: (E!un Burke"
9The greatness of a nation and its $oral progress can be ;udged
by the way its ani$als are treated!: (#$%$t!$ &$n%i"
Thanks go to the organi%ations, indi"iduals and acade$ics below,
who ha"e published a "ast a$ount of scientific research and
infor$ation on the sub;ect $aterial in <A 'uirk of Destiny= and
which has been an in"aluable source of infor$ation to the author!
G( ,ree%e, G( ,ree Cy$ru, G( ,ree 3cotland, G( ,ree
)reland, ,riends of the 6arth >?, Greenpeace >?, The 3oil
Association, )nstitute for @esponsible Technology, *an G( ,ood,
Center for ,ood 3afety, Gene 5atch, ,ood 3tandards Agency
>?, The Aegan 3ociety, (artin Teitel, PhD and ?i$berly
A!5ilson, To$ Philpott, Don +otter, Boel 3pirouC de Aendo$ois,
,rancois @oullier, Do$ini4ue Cellier and Gilles86ric 3eralini, the
Guardian newspaper >?, **C #ews, Tho$as B!D! Chen,
?enneth *lu$, Daniel (athews, +arry ,isher, #ancy 3chnaut%,
6ric @! *ra"er$an, Bohn 3choolfield, *ernard 5! Downs, Da"id
6! Co$ings, Dr! *arry 3tarr, Global Psychics )nc!, (ary
Desaulniers, 3pin Profiles, #atalie Geen, Chris ,irth, 6uropean
Co$$ission, 3ail #orth 3cotland, 3cottish Tourist *oard, (artin
Des"auC, Bohan "an der Deyden, @oyal Air ,orce, @ahni
Ano$alies >nli$ited! Also thanks go to Google (aps for
showing $e where and to 5ikipedia for always knowing the
answer to e"erything!
1
Green and Pleasant Land
)t was a bright sunny day in *aCendale as we walked through the
fields, past fluttering blue and pink $eadow flowers! The bees
were bu%%ing and a light bree%e was blowing in the trees, $aking
a co$forting rushing sound! The hills in the distance were ha%y in
the $id8day sun!
5e could see a herd of cows $illing around in a green field
$unching the sweet grass and $aking the odd, sudden loud
$ooing noise that $ade us laugh!
As we crossed the strea$, the water trickled idly along and
the odd stickleback caused a flurry of bubbles as it ca$e up for
air!
And yet, so$ething way underneath the rural scene=s surface
was wrong! 5e didn=t know how wrong until $uch later!
2
A Worrying Development
The door to Calu$ E=Connell=s ho$e office stood open and
through it a large, dark oak desk was "isible! Dis phone was
ringing insistently, but he wasn=t answering it! De had ob"iously
not gone far, as he had not taken his e"er8present $obile phone
and he had left a half8full glass of wine on the desk neCt to an
open bottle of 3hira%! The clues to his work were in the open
;ournal, which contained an article about genetic engineering and
he had $ade se"eral pages of handwritten notes, punctuated by
for$ulae and spiralling diagra$s!
A discarded, dark ;acket lay carelessly o"er a chair and a
guitar had been taken out if its black case, which lay beside it on
the floor! A $usic book was propped up neCt to itF at so$e point
Calu$ had ob"iously taken a break to stru$ his guitar! @eference
books were strewn untidily around the floor, discarded as each
had ser"ed their purpose! A da$p towel lay on the floor in the
corner of the roo$, dropped and left where it had fallen!
Gesterday=s newspaper was draped on the ar$ of the chair,
the pages left une"en and creased and open at an article he had
been reading!
A door sla$$ed so$ewhere in the house and eCcited, deep
barks resounded in the hallway! A deep, $elodic "oice with an
)rish lilt scolded!
9*uster, get down fro$ thereH:
(ore barking, then a tall $an with floppy, blond hair ran up
the stairs and into the office!
Calu$ E=Connell was working long hours for his work at the
Depart$ent for ,ood and 6n"iron$ent -D,60 these days and, at
the end of a long week, he was feeling tired!
Dis ;ob in"ol"ed helping to assess new foodstuffs and
technologies in the authorisation process for the food to be grown
or sold in the >nited ?ingdo$ and 6urope!
As he sank to the chair in front of the desk picking up the
;ournal and sipping his wine, the $obile phone began to ring
again!
9Dello, Calu$ E=Connell here!:
95here ha"e you beenF ) ha"e been trying to get you all
e"eningI: )t was @ob (oore, a friend and colleague in the
authorisations tea$ at the D,6! 9Guess what ) heard today at
workI:
9Dunno, but ) suppose you=re going to tell $eI:
9There=s a ru$our that a genetically8$odified ani$al feed,
already in use in the >?, is causing unpredictable side effects and
the whole thing has been co"ered up for o"er a year now!
Bere$y=s none too pleasedF he feels he has been kept out of the
loop! De thinks go"ern$ent $inisters $ust ha"e been in"ol"ed in
the co"er8up!: Bere$y 6"ans was the 6n"iron$ent Director at
D,6 and tended to be rather self8i$portant!
9Gou=re ;oking,: said Calu$! 9)="e ;ust been reading in this
$onth=s Journal of Biotechnology that tests in )taly showed that
G( D#A fro$ ani$al feed was found in the $ilk that the
ani$als produced! #o8one knows the effects of this on hu$an
health yet! 5hy is this being co"ered upI Dow co$e they ha"e
not withdrawn the productI:
95ell, as you know, in the >? and 6urope, dairy products
and eggs fro$ ani$als fed with G( $aterial do not ha"e to be
labelled,: continued @ob, 9At the Depart$ent we carry out a risk
assess$ent of G( products on a case8by8case basis! This new
product is a G( soya called G217! )t had the usual e"idence
sub$itted to us by the $anufacturer, #o"agentechF it was
authorised and has been in widespread use in the >? for al$ost
two years!:
Calu$ had carried out eCtensi"e e"idence8gathering during
his authorisation work into G( products, including ani$al feed
and had co$e to his own conclusions about its safety! De was
deter$ined that he would not consu$e G( $aterial and always
bought organic products! De was also "egan, ha"ing been
con"inced about the inherent health and safety issues in the $eat
and dairy industry by the (ad Cow Disease and ,oot and (outh
scares in the >?! De was also a fer"ent belie"er in ani$al rights
and knew that there was $uch cruelty and death in"ol"ed in the
far$ing of ani$als for food, e"en for supposedly <"egetarian=
food!
9Bere$y says that the (inisters for *usiness, 6n"iron$ent
and ,ood see$ to be in"ol"ed, but he does not know how yet!
There=s going to be a hell of a stink about this neCt week, Bere$y
is fu$ing!:
95ell, ) think we should be ar$ed in ad"ance with all the
research we can find on thisF the (inisters ha"e to be $ade aware
of the risks they are taking here in not i$$ediately withdrawing
this product,: said Calu$! 9)t=s not ;ust hu$an healthF the
en"iron$ent and wildlife around the crop8growing sites could be
affected!:
9Ekay, )=ll let *en know too!: *en Turner was a genetic
scientist and their colleague at D,6! All three had started work
there around the sa$e ti$e and had beco$e fir$ friends!
They arranged to $eet on TuesdayF the neCt ti$e that Calu$
was due at the Depart$ent office in +ondon, to co$pare notes!
That would gi"e the$ so$e ti$e on (onday to gather whate"er
research they could find on G( ani$al feed and the i$pacts on
health and the en"iron$ent!
Calu$ switched off the phone! De didn=t want any $ore
disturbances tonightF he ;ust needed to get so$e rest! De went
down to switch off the lights and check on *uster, who was now
sleeping in his basket, eChausted after their long walk!
De had adopted *uster fro$ the local ani$al rescue shelter
and he was a cross8bred between a border collie and Ger$an
shepherd dog!
95hat ha"e they done, *usterI: he said sadly as he patted the
big floppy8haired dog! *uster whined softly!
3
Two Years Ago The Troule with !ats
Anita Collins sighed as she put the food shopping into the boot, at
the sa$e ti$e as trying to keep the peace!
9EwH (u$, tell herF she ;ust hit $eH: This was fro$ Boanna,
her youngest! 3he was twel"e, going on fifteen to be honestF
teenage tantru$s see$ed to co$e along so early these days!
95ell, she=s being a total pain, all she goes on about is <Can )
ha"e a new dress, (u$ can ) ha"e a new dress, e"eryone else will
be in the latest for the end of ter$ party, *eccy=s ha"ing one, so
can ) ha"e a new dressI= ,or goodness sake shut up about itH:
@achel was the older sister, aged fifteen and thought she knew
e"erything! 5as ) really like that at fifteenI thought Anita! 3he
did not re$e$ber being soF children respected their elders in
those days, she would not ha"e dared to stand up to her parents
and teachers in the way that kids did these days!
9Eh, girls, girls, you are gi"ing $e a headache! Can we all
;ust shut up about the new dress nowI: This was Ba$es her eldest!
At se"enteen, he was beco$ing $ore of an adult e"ery day and
she knew he would soon be lea"ing ho$e, probably for good! De
would go to uni"ersity neCt year and was already planning which
ones to apply to!
93hut up the lot of youH: ) a$ sick of your arguingF get in the
carH The neCt one to whinge will get no cine$a tonightH: Anita
knew that Ba$es probably would go off with his friends anyway,
it being 3aturday night, but the two girls still en;oyed their
weekend trips to the cine$a with their (u$!
)n the te$porary silence, Anita gratefully sank into the
dri"ing seat and headed for ho$e! Der thoughts were about workF
her ;ob was at #o"agentech, a biotechnology corporation
producing G( ani$al feed for the li"estock industry! )t was
supposed to increase crop and $ilk yield, but e"en though these
effects had not been obser"ed in the tests they had carried out, the
co$pany was still $arketing the product with these clai$s!
Anita=s work in"ol"ed testing new products on ani$als! 3he
had recently been working on a new product called G217, which
was a G( soya product for ani$al feed! 3he had been running
tests for a few $onths on rats and $ice fed with the G( product!
3he first noticed a proble$ a week ago, when fifteen of the thirty
rats being fed the G( soya died! Gesterday, she had arri"ed at the
lab to find that another ten test rats had died! 3he reported her
concerns to her $anager +i%a DiCon i$$ediately and was
shocked at her offhand attitude to the al$ost total $ortality of the
G( test sub;ects!
93o what, it=s only a few dead ratsI The product is in
production now and has passed all the toCicology tests in the >3!:
As far as Anita was aware, the product still had to
de$onstrate safety in the >? and tests results had still to be
reported to the >? Depart$ent for ,ood and 6n"iron$ent,
together with the application for $arketing the product in the >?!
Anita could not understand her $anager=s attitude and sought
ad"ice fro$ her senior $anager, To$ *ridge! De was reassuring
and said that of course the safety tests would duly be reported to
the >? Depart$ent for ,ood and 6n"iron$ent as part of the
application for a >? licence!
+ater on, she was called into +i%a DiCon=s office! +i%a=s face
was contorted in fury! 9)n future you do not go running to senior
$anagers with your dodgy test results, do you understandI: she
hissed through clenched teeth! 9Apparently, you conta$inated the
feeding units with sterili%ing solution and that was what killed
your ratsH:
9*ut, ) couldn=t ha"e!!!: began Anita, who had been running
such tests for years and was always careful not to cross8
conta$inate e4uip$ent!
9) a$ not taking any of your eCcuses this ti$e, you can
consider yourself on a "erbal warning for your unprofessional
carelessnessH: said +i%a, "irtually closing the door on her as Anita
left, her cheeks burning and close to tears!
3he had ne"er been spoken to like that by a $anager and
could not belie"e that her professional integrity was being called
into 4uestion!
E"er the weekend she had ti$e to consider and still felt that
she had not $ade a $istake with the sterili%ing solution, but did
not see how she could pro"e it! 3he planned to keep her head
down for a few days when she went in neCt week and see what
happened! *ut she would not be the sub;ect of any further
accusationsF she would ensure she was eCtra careful in the test
regi$e in future and was planning to ask a colleague to double
check any results before reporting the$!
3till, she wasn=t looking forward to (onday $orning at all!
(onday $orning ca$e around far too 4uickly and as Anita
shooed the children out to school with their backpacks, bulging
with books and packed lunches, she had a 4ueasy feeling in the pit
of her sto$ach!
5hen she arri"ed at work, there was a note stuck to her
co$puter screen re4uesting her to go and see +i%a DiCon
i$$ediately! Der friend, Peggy, who worked in the sa$e tea$ in
the lab looked up as she passed and said
9Di, Anita! Did you ha"e a good weekendI:
95ell, it was okay, eCcept ) ha"e been a bit worried about
work! ) ;ust got a $essage to go and see +i%a now! )=$ not sure
what she wants, but she bawled $e out on ,riday for killing $ost
of $y test rats! 3he reckoned ) conta$inated the feed bottle with
sterili%er, but )=$ positi"e ) put the bottles on a full sterilise, rinse
and heat8dry cycle! )=$ sure it was the G( soya that killed the$,
but +i%a would not hear of it!:
95ell, don=t worry about it, this is probably nothing to do
with last week,: said Peggy reassuringly! 95hy don=t we go out
for lunch afterwards and we will ha"e a chance to talk about it
properlyI:
93ure, that would be great,: said Anita, 9see you later!:
3he knocked on +i%a=s door and got a curt <:Co$e in!: +i%a
looked up as she entered and pointed i$patiently to a chair
opposite her desk!
9+ook, ) won=t beat about the bush, we ha"e been re"iewing
your work files, subse4uent to the da$age you caused last week
to the test stock and we are suspending you with i$$ediate
effect!:
95hatI: began Anita!
9Go to your desk and locker and collect your belongings! Do
not speak to any colleagues! Gou will be acco$panied by Bohn,
fro$ site security! 5e will be in touch regarding any disciplinary
action and your future here!:
9*ut, this is so unfairF ) want to see the e"idence! And ) want
$y union representati"e here!: As Anita protested, the door
opened and Bohn entered and stood by her chair!
9(s Collins, please co$e with $e,: he said, taking her by the
ar$!
Anita was forced to go with Bohn to collect her belongings!
Ene or two colleagues looked o"er and then looked away again
when they saw that she was in the custody of site security!
#o"agentech did not ha"e the best e$ployee relationship and
no8one wanted to attract any unwanted attention!
As Bohn let her out of the building with his key card, Anita
looked back, wondering if she would e"er return to #o"agentech!
As she dro"e out of the gates she did not notice the black
saloon car glide out a few seconds later! The dri"er stared straight
ahead, his dark glasses and hat hiding his features! 3he didn=t
e"en notice when he stopped his car in a "acant space at the end
of her road!
As she was telling her husband, *ill, about the day=s e"ents, a
faint bleeping sound could ;ust about be heard fro$ the black
saloonF the dri"er looked as if he was checking his laptop, or
$aybe it was his satellite na"igation syste$! Anyway, a fe$ale
"oice could be heard fro$ the car, with an occasional $ale 4uery!
The wo$an see$ed to be upset about so$ething!
*ill Collins was pu%%led! Anita=s story of how she ca$e to be
suspended today did not $ake sense! De had taken the afternoon
off fro$ work at the power plantF Anita had been so upset when
she called hi$!
9Are you sure that this is ;ust about you killing off a few lab
rats that would probably ha"e ended up dead at the end of the test
run anywayI: he asked!
Anita replied 9) told you, ) did not kill the$ offF it was the
soya feeding tests! (y boss says ) conta$inated their feed, but )
a$ positi"e that ) could not ha"e done that! Gou know how $uch
eCperience ) ha"e doing this ;ob and ) a$ always "ery careful
about cross8conta$ination!:
93till, it=s hard to belie"e that #o"agentech would ;ust
dispense with an eCperienced staff $e$ber o"er so$ething so
tri"ial! 5hat did your trade union representati"e ha"e to sayI:
9) didn=t get the chance to speak to the union, or anyone else
for that $atterF they escorted $e off the pre$ises!:
95ell, ) suggest that is the first thing you need to try! There
$ust be an appeal and in"estigation process in place for this sort
of unfair treat$ent! 5e can=t really afford to li"e on $y wage
alone!: De frowned worriedly!
9) knowF )=ll get the file and ring the$ now,: Anita replied
wearily, putting her lunch plate in the sink!
Anita put the phone back on the recei"er feeling a little
desperate! The union representati"e had told her that he was not
hopeful about an appeal against her dis$issalF there had been a
few si$ilar cases where the co$pany clai$ed that a $e$ber=s
work was not up to standard! )t had been "ery hard to pro"e
otherwise, when the co$pany see$ed to ha"e files of e"idence
and witnesses pro"ing their case! The co$pany was A$erican and
did not ha"e a good e$ployee relationship! The union was only
barely toleratedF apparently the co$pany=s staff in A$erica were
not e"en allowed to be in a trade union!
Anita decided to call her friend and colleague at work, Peggy!
9Eh hi,: said Peggy sounding a little strained! 9)=$ sorry, )
can=t talk nowF ) a$ on the way out!:
95ell, can ) call you back later, or $aybe to$orrowI ) ;ust
wanted a sy$pathetic ear to talk about what happened todayF ) a$
feeling really shell8shocked about it!:
9#o, ) cannot talk to$orrow either! Actually, we ha"e been
told about the da$age you did to the stock and we are not allowed
to e"en discuss this with you!:
95hatI *ut it=s not true that ) killed the stockF it was the
feeding trials!:
9)=$ sorryF ) ha"e to hang up now! Please don=t ring $e
again! ) need this ;ob!: Peggy sounded "ery tense and upset!
Anita felt really depressed by Peggy=s re;ectionF they had
always been such good friends, in work and socially! 3he went
back into the lounge where *ill was watching sports on tele"ision
and sipping fro$ a can of beer!
9The union say ) ha"e little chance of winning an appeal
against $y dis$issal! There ha"e already been si$ilar cases that
ha"e failed! Apparently, such things are hard to dispro"e!:
9That is so typical of the bloody unions! They are there when
they want your $oney, but totally useless when you really need
the$!: De sla$$ed his beer can down on the table, its contents
splashing up o"er the polished surface!
9) ;ust spoke to PeggyF she says she cannot talk to $e about
$y dis$issal and has told $e not to ring her again!:
95hatI Gou were always such good friends! 3he is a bit of a
fair8weather friend, isn=t sheI:
93he cannot afford to lose her ;ob! #one of the$ can! ) don=t
bla$e $y colleagues, but it is still upsetting! There $ust be
so$ething ) can do!:
95hat about that en"iron$ental group that contacted you last
year looking for inside infor$ation on genetically $odified feedI
) bet they would be interested to know that the feed is killing off
the test rats!:
9Er, $aybe the newspapers would be interestedI: added
Anita! 9They are always full of anti8G( articles! ) suppose it will
kill off any chance of getting $y ;ob back, but ) think that is a
foregone conclusion anyway! ) will ring the$ both!:
3he went upstairs for her files and found the nu$ber for the
en"iron$ent group! 3he had been far too co$$itted to her ;ob to
talk to the$ last yearF now she had nothing to lose! At least it
would get the truth out about the G( feed! 3he would ring the
papers afterwards!
*ack in the study, Anita picked up the phone! 9That=s
strange,: she $uttered to herself, pressing down the button on the
recei"er se"eral ti$es! 95hat=s happened to the phoneI: she said
to *ill, walking into the lounge where he was still watching the
ga$e!
95hat do you $eanI:
9) can=t get a dialling signal! Can you try the one in hereI:
*ill lifted the handset to his ear, then put it down again! 9#o,
this one=s dead too! 5e will ha"e to call the phone co$pany on
the $obile phone! (ust be a fault on the line again!:
The neCt day, Anita was getting ready to drop the girls off at
school! Ba$es refused to be taken to school these days and always
$ade his own way to college on the bus with his friends! The
phone co$pany still hadn=t fiCed the phones and she was going to
call at her parents= house on the way back to $ake her calls! 3he
hated spending too $uch ti$e on her $obile phone! 3he had
heard about the possible links between $obile phone use and
brain tu$ours! Anyway, it would be nice to spend so$e ti$e with
her parents, since she had the day off!
9Co$e on @achel! Gour hair looks lo"ely!:
9*ut ) ha"en=t finished straightening it, this bit=s all fri%%yH:
she wailed!
9Eut, now! Gou are going to be late! Gou don=t want to get
detention do youI Boanna, ha"e you got your ho$ework files and
your lunchI:
9Ges, (u$! 5hy aren=t you going to work todayI Da"e you
got the day offI Can ) stay ho$e and keep you co$panyI: she
asked hopefully!
9) a$ ;ust taking so$e ti$e off and no, you can=t,: said Anita
fir$ly! 9+et=s go!:
Anita wa"ed at her girls as they went up the school path!
They were getting so tall these daysF al$ost young wo$en now!
They grew up so 4uickly! 3he was looking forward to watching
the$ grow into adultsF perhaps get $arried so$e day and ha"e
children!
3he wasn=t really concentrating on the road, as she had dri"en
the route to her parents= house so $any ti$es! 3he could al$ost
do it blindfolded!
A dark saloon, which had been tra"elling behind her for a
$ile or so, suddenly o"ertook her at considerable speed, as she
negotiated the narrow lanes leading to her parents= house!
9)diot! )t=s a thirty $ile an hour %oneH: she yelled,
gesticulating at the car! 3he was shocked when the tail lights of
the black car flashed and it dropped back and swer"ed across her
path! Turning the steering wheel to a"oid hitting the car, she
"eered slightly towards the hedge and tree line! 5hat was he
playing atI The black car=s brake lights suddenly stayed on and
Anita was forced to wrench the wheel into a full left8hand lock to
a"oid hitting itF her car skidded up across the pa"e$ent and
s$ashed head8on into a large oak tree!
The $an in the black car opened his door and got out, looking
around! The country road was deserted! De 4uickly checked on
Anita before returning to his car and dri"ing off at so$e speed! A
hiss of stea$ rose fro$ the engine of Anita=s car! Der head lay at
a "ery odd angle across the headrest and her eyes were closed!
A trickle of blood ran fro$ her forehead and another fro$
around her ear!
"
A #ortuitous $eeting
Bessie Ewen looked up fro$ her book, as Calu$ E=Connell strode
into the uni"ersity library! 3he had worked for GreenworldF an
en"iron$ental action group, for a few years as a researcher! 3he
was working on a briefing paper on the i$pacts of a new
pesticide! 3he had heard about Calu$ fro$ friendsF he had gained
a "ery good (asters degree at the uni"ersity and won so$e pri%e
or other! De had a na$e for being one of the rising stars in the
world of en"iron$ental science research! 3he had heard that he
worked for so$e go"ern$ent depart$ent now!
There had been so$e tragedy when his girlfriend co$$itted
suicide at uni"ersity in Dublin and this tragic persona, together
with his tall, athletic fra$e, blond hair and dancing brown eyes
interested her "ery $uch! De was wearing a brightly8coloured tie8
dyed shirt with co$bat trousers and ankle boots! Around his neck
he wore a necklace of wooden beads! 3he had seen hi$ around
the city centre $usic bars and "enues and once in the uni"ersity
bar!
9Dello, do you by any chance know where the nearest coffee
$achine is in this buildingI: he said in his deep, $elodic )rish lilt,
taking a cool look at Bessie, taking in her sli$ build and wa"y
long, brown hair and deep blue eyes!
9)t=s on the neCt floor up, ;ust to the right at the top of the
stairs,: Bessie answered, pleased that he had spoken to her!
9Actually, )=$ due a break right now, )=ll show you if you like!:
9That would be "ery kind,: said Calu$! 9)=$ Calu$
E=Connell!:
Bessie introduced herself! As they walked up to the neCt floor,
Calu$ asked if Bessie was a student at the uni"ersity! Pleased that
he thought her so young, Bessie answered 9Eh no, ) work for
Greenworld, as a researcher on the i$pact of new agricultural
che$icals on ani$als!:
)$$ediately interested, Calu$ eCclai$ed 9That=s a
coincidenceF ) work for the Depart$ent for ,ood and
6n"iron$ent, assessing new food and food technologies for >?
authorisation! 5e $ust get together so$e ti$e and co$pare
notes!:
9That would be great,: said Bessie as they helped the$sel"es
to coffee fro$ the $achine! 93o what are you doing here todayI:
9) need to get copies of any recent research on G( ani$al
feed and the i$pact on health and the en"iron$ent! ) was going to
check the uni"ersity=s on8line research library!:
9) could help if you like J ) a$ looking for an eCcuse not to
write a paper on the i$pact of a new pesticide on intestine
function in pigsF it=s pretty gross, ) can tell youH:
9)=$ sure it isF ) don=t bla$e you! 5ell, ) could do with all
the help ) can getF ) ha"e to get this together to take down to the
Depart$ent to$orrow!:
+ater o"er lunch, they disco"ered a $utual interest in ani$al
welfare and the en"iron$ent! Bessie was also against G(
products, which she agreed had not recei"ed ade4uate testing
before being released into the en"iron$ent and used on hu$ans!
9Did you know that a G( food supple$ent used in the >3
$ade thousands of A$ericans seriously ill and so$e diedI: said
Calu$!
9) think ) read so$ething about thatF it was in the late
nineteen8eighties, rightI:
9Ges, it was a supple$ent used to relie"e inso$nia, stress and
depression! 5ithin a few $onths of being on the $arket, it caused
the deaths of thirty se"en people and per$anent disability of o"er
one thousand fi"e hundred!:
9That is so appalling! 5as the supple$ent withdrawnI: asked
Bessie!
9Ges, but that has not stopped the >3 go"ern$ent and the
biotechnology co$panies fro$ clai$ing that G( products ha"e
caused no negati"e health effects in A$erica! The big
corporations are so powerful they are suppressing all negati"e
results!:
Bessie stretched as they went back down to continue their
research and said 9) belie"e e"en in the >3 that people are turning
their backs on G( products and are starting to de$and proper
labelling and only buying organic produce, which is guaranteed
not to contain G(!:
9Ges, and who can bla$e the$I *etter late than ne"er,:
retorted Calu$! De was still feeling pretty angry at what he felt
was probably the go"ern$ent=s interference in the proper
regulation of G( technology in the >?! Taking a ga$ble that he
could trust Bessie, he told her about the reason for his research and
the ru$our that a new G( soya ani$al feed, already in use in the
>?, had caused side effects in hu$ans, but that this had been
co"ered up!
9Did you know that products such as $eat, eggs and dairy
products fro$ ani$als fed on G( $aterial do not e"en ha"e to be
labelled under 6uropean lawI: said Calu$!
9) only deal with the straightforward agroche$icals, but it
does not surprise $e! *ig business runs e"erything in the 5estern
world and beyond! The nor$al rules do not apply to the$!: Bessie
was on one of her fa"ourite topics, the en"iron$ent and the
ad"erse i$pact of industrial corporations on it! 3he did not
appro"e of G( technologyF Greenworld=s "iew was that the long8
ter$ i$pact on the en"iron$ent and hu$an health had not been
properly assessed!
9This $akes it e"en $ore i$portant that we find sufficient
con"incing scientific e"idence to con"ince your depart$ent to get
the licence to $arket this product withdrawn,: she said!
*y the end of the day they had se"eral significant research
papers that de$onstrated the ad"erse effects of G( foodstuff fed
to ani$als, as well as e"idence of G( D#A being found in
resulting food products like $ilk!
Calu$ thanked Bessie for her help and suggested they $eet
later that week for a drink and to catch up on how things went at
the Depart$ent! Bessie handed o"er her nu$ber and wished hi$
luck!
9Gou ha"e to stop the$F this is ;ust playing with fire! #o8one
knows the long8ter$ effects of these substances on hu$ans or the
en"iron$ent! They are $aking us and the en"iron$ent the guinea
pigs for this stuff,: she said angrily!
9)=ll do $y best,: said Calu$, with a 4uick s$ile back at
Bessie as he left the library!
%
Troule at the Department
Calu$ shouldered through the swing doors at the +ondon office
of the Depart$ent for ,ood and 6n"iron$ent, ;uggling his
backpack and laptop bag! De usually spent a couple of days a
week down in the +ondon office and the rest doing research and
assess$ents in his office at ho$e in *aCendale, a 4uiet +ancashire
"illage!
As he got to his desk, he was pushed out of the way by
Bere$y, whose face was dark with anger! En his way to his office,
Bere$y $uttered 9*loody $inistersH 5hat=s the point of ha"ing
bloody regulations if they are ;ust going to by8pass the$
anywayI:
As Calu$ e$ptied his files onto his desk, @ob ca$e o"er and
said 9(eeting with *en at ten a$ for coffee in the restaurantI:
9Ekay,: said Calu$, 9Got lots of interesting $aterial on this
yesterday! ) had so$e help fro$ a local researcher ) $et at
(anchester >ni"ersity, Bessie Ewen!:
9Eh yeahI: said @ob, catching so$ething in Calu$=s "oice!
9And is she as interesting as she soundsI: )t was a standing ;oke
that Calu$=s friends were always trying to fiC hi$ up with
"arious wo$en in the depart$ent and when they went out in
+ondon! 9)t=s about ti$e you had a bit of fun!:
9Eh stop, you=re killing $e,: said Calu$! 9Bust keep your
$ind on the work!:
93eriously $an, you need so$eone to share those bottles of
red wineF stop you beco$ing an alcoholic!:
9)=$ an adultF )=$ allowed to be a drunk,: returned Calu$!
9Talking of which, we are going to that new wine bar tonight,
if you fancy it!:
9Cool! 5ell, )=ll see you o"er coffee then,: said Calu$!
Calu$ opened his e8$ail and found that Bere$y had called a
$eeting at three p$! There was one ite$ on the agendaF <G(
Ani$al ,eed=!
They would ha"e to work fast to get their $aterial together!
De gathered his files and set off for the restaurant! As they got
coffee, Calu$ had to put up with yet $ore banter fro$ *en about
his new ac4uaintance, Bessie!
95hat=s she like thenI PrettyI: *en was a pain when he got
started on so$ethingF he would ne"er let up! 95hen are you
seeing her againI:
9+ook ) don=t knowF it was ;ust professional researchF she
works on agroche$ical testing on ani$als! ) $ight not see her
again!: Calu$ hoped that this did not turn out to be true though,
as he had taken 4uite a liking to the sli$ researcher with a passion
for the en"iron$ent!
93o, what ha"e we gotI: asked @ob ruffling his papers! 9)
found an )talian study that found G( soya and D#A $aterial in
$ilk fro$ cows fed with G( feed! There was further research in
Ger$any that obser"ed the sa$e thing!:
9Ges, and ) found a paper fro$ a Canadian tea$ that fed G(
oilseed rape to pigs and sheep and then found the G( $aterial in
their li"er, kidneys and intestines,: said Calu$! 9*ut, what is the
i$pact, if any, on hu$ans who consu$e the G( ani$al flesh and
their dairy productsI:
95ell, ) found a paper about the likely i$pacts of G( ani$al
feed on hu$an health,: said *en! 9Genetic engineering, as you
probably know, in"ol"es introducing genetic $aterial deri"ed
fro$ one organis$, or se"eral, into the D#A of another organis$!
)t is not based on the plant=s nor$al reproducti"e $echanis$s,
which traditional plant cross8breeding would use! The foreign
D#A is inserted using the infecti"e process of disease bacteria, or
by bo$barding the cells with fine $etal particles co"ered with the
D#A! This breaks down natural biological $echanis$s
$aintaining the genetic integrity of a species! The nu$ber of cells
is then increased using tissue culture in a laboratory!
9And this is intended as foodI GrossH: said @ob!
9The process used introduces risks in producing G( plants
and feeding the$ to cattle,: *en continued! 9The inserted genes
co$e fro$ a different organis$ and are synthetically produced
and are new to the ani$al or hu$an diet! The G( protein
introduced can affect eCisting bioche$ical pathways in the host,
producing new proteins or other bioche$ical products which
could be allergenic or toCic!:
93o, what does all that $ean to the hu$an who eats the G(
dairy or $eatI: asked @ob!
9)t can cause allergic reactions, for one,: said *en! 9Also, it
disrupts the plant=s genes, da$aging the plant=s D#A and the
inserted gene can integrate in the $iddle of another gene, causing
it to $odify, or lose its function! The D#A of the host plant has
been shown to $utate and change in acti"ity! These effects are
unpredictable! The foreign genes are known as transgenes and
beco$e acti"e in all the plant=s genes, not ;ust those that were
targeted! *ecause genes are go"erned by other nearby genes and
processes, the transgenes can beha"e differently in different
locations in the plant!:
95hoah, you="e lost $e again,: said @ob! 95hat=s the big
deal, in si$ple ter$sI:
95ell, scientists cannot control where all the transgenes end
up in the host and they do not know the effects of the different
locations, so there can be unpredictable side effects,: said *en!
9Also, due to a process called post8translation $odification,
depending on the plant species and the type of cellF different
$olecules attach to the transgenes and $odify their function! 3o,
for eCa$ple, in an Australian study, a G( bean protein inserted
into pea D#A caused allergic reactions in $ice!:
93o, people susceptible to allergies could be affected by G(
dairy or $eatI: asked Calu$!
9That see$s to be the case,: said *en! 9At the Depart$ent for
,ood and 6n"iron$ent we had so$e research done which showed
that inserted transgenes can $o"e fro$ G( substances that are
consu$ed into the $outh, gut and intestines of hu$ans and
ani$als! This is known as hori%ontal gene transfer! This could
ha"e unpredictable effects because of post8translation
$odification!:
93o, the inserted genes could i$pact on al$ost any other
D#A in the hu$an body and cause unpredictable $odifications to
the functioning of that D#AI: said @ob, appalled!
9And yet the Depart$ent for ,ood and 6n"iron$ent still
won=t force $anufacturers to label food as G( when it co$es
fro$ G(8fed ani$alsH: said Calu$ disgusted!
95ell, the Depart$ent of *usiness was keen to get
#o"agentech to set up in the >?, bringing in thousands of ;obs
and taC re"enue! )t see$s they put pressure on at a high le"el,:
replied @ob!
Although the D,6 theoretically worked closely with the
Depart$ent of *usiness on cross8cutting $atters affecting
business, en"iron$ent and food, the reality was that there was
petty back8biting and secreti"eness affecting infor$ation8sharing
between the two sets of e$pires!
9) found a ,rench paper which eCa$ined G( soya and
co$pared it to the gene se4uences actually inserted by the
biotechnology co$pany years earlier! )t was obser"ed that the
gene se4uences had $utated! 3o, the transgenes cause $utations
o"er ti$e, as well as ha"ing short8ter$ effects on the plant and
those who consu$e it! Therefore, the full i$pacts of G( plants
cannot be deter$ined until years of study ha"e been carried out
into the i$pact on the plant, the cattle that feed on it and hu$ans
who consu$e the products! This le"el of testing ;ust hasn=t been
carried out!:
9And yet, we are apparently feeding these products to hu$ans
now! >nbelie"able,: said Calu$ softly! 9) could only find one
study that looked at the i$pacts of G( foods on hu$ans and this
was carried out in the >? for our good old e$ployer, the
Depart$ent of ,ood and 6n"iron$ent,: said Calu$! 9Guess
whatI )t showed that the G( D#A passed fro$ the G( soya into
the gut and intestine and also into intestinal bacteria! And
surprise, surprise, the Depart$ent did not $ention this in their
papers on the study! 3o, not only was da$aging e"idence found of
the har$ G( D#A could potentially do, it was co"ered up!:
93o, to su$$ariseF G( substances in ani$al feed ha"e been
shown to pass into the sto$ach, li"er, kidneys, intestines and
intestinal bacteria of ani$als and hu$ans that eat the resulting
ani$al products! The transgenes ha"e been shown to pass into the
$ilk, $eat and other products fro$ the cattle,: said *en! 9The
resulting products ha"e been obser"ed to be allergenic or toCic in
ani$als that eat the$! They cause unpredictable side effects in
ani$als and hu$ans! >npredictable $odifications to the
functioning of other D#A in the body ha"e been obser"ed and
these $odifications can continue o"er ti$e! There has been
inade4uate testing of the long8ter$ effects on hu$ans and the
en"iron$ent! Get, this stuff is being fed to ani$als, then hu$ans!:
9#ow you=re really starting to scare $e,: said @ob!
9+et=s hope Bere$y=s wrong about the ru$ours about the G(
feed proble$s,: said Calu$!