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Greenpeace Protests at Novartis "GMO baby food",

Greenpeace Protests at Novartis "GMO baby food"

BASEL, Switzerland, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Protesters lined up dozens of plastic baby dolls on Tuesday outside the Basel head office of Swiss drugs group Novartis AG (NOVZn.VX), alleging that gene-modified soy had been found in some of its baby food.

A spokesman for environmental lobby group Greenpeace, which mounted the protest, said a Hong Kong laboratory, DNA Chips, had found high concentrations of the controversial ingredient in three products sold in the Philippines by its U.S. unit Gerber.

This breached Novartis pledges in 1999 and 2000 to stop using genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Greenpeace spokesman Yves Zenger said.

Novartis spokesman Felix Raeber told Reuters that the company would examine the outcome of the tests and take measures if the results were confirmed. He added that Novartis's refusal to use GMOs reflected consumer preferences rather than safety concerns.

Agribusiness companies have been developing genetically modified products to fight pests and plant diseases but also for uses such as tenderising meat. Consumers, however, have baulked at gene-tech ingredients, fearing health problems.

10:24 08-21-01

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