July 4, 2006

UK's government advisor issues warnings on hormones in imported beef

Growth hormones used by cattle producers can cause genital abnormalities in baby boys, premature puberty in girls and increase the risk of cancers later in life, according to a pharmaceutical chemist from the UK.

John Verrall, also a consumer representative, said regulators assessed the safety of hormone residues in food using grossly inaccurate information.

As a member of UK's Veterinary Products Committee, he has refused to endorse a report by the committee that effectively says the hormones are safe.

Although the hormones have been banned in Europe for 20 years they are still used in beef producing countries like Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Mexico and Chile, he alleged.

Verral said the UK government has not tested imports for the drugs for the past 18 months.

At least one environmental group is calling on the government to test meat for the hormones. Richard Young, policy advisor for the Soil Association, a lobby group, commented that with 40 percent of the beef in the UK imported, it is surprising that none is subjected to the same level of residue testing as British beef.

The Veterinary Products Committee's report in January had said the levels of human exposure to hormones in meat from treated animals would not be sufficient to induce any measurable physiological effect. 

However, Verrall insisted that he should be allowed to produce a minority report highlighting his concerns.

He said the committee had ignored research suggesting there is no safe minimum threshold of growth hormone residue in meat. To further reinforce his point, Verral pointed to studies by Copenhagen University indicating even tiny amounts of hormones consumed by pre-pubescent children can be harmful in the long-term.