WITHIN a few weeks we all could be part of a massive genetic experiment as, by Christmas, 60 per cent of our food could contain genetically-manipulated ingredients.

When this year's soya harvest arrives from the USA, it will be contaminated with genetically-engineered strains.

Bread, baby foods, chocolate, beer and vegetarian foods all contain soya bean ingredients.

These new soya beans contain genes from a bacteria and a virus. No-one knows what will happen when we corrupt nature in this way.

It would be unwise to leave our concerns with the Government, especially after the recent handling of the BSE crisis. Like most of the world's ills, this potential nightmare can be averted by individuals realising the power they possess and by acting with that power.

Consumer boycotts have led to Unilever in Germany, Sweden and Austria deciding not to use genetically-manipulated soya in those countries. If they can do it, we in the UK can, too.

Write a letter to Mr W G Walker, UK National Manager, Unilever, Unilever House, Blackfriars, London, EC4P 4SQ.

Refuse to be a guinea pig and ask him to guarantee that foods produced by Unilever (who control over half the world's food) have not been genetically-manipulated.

IAN HODGSON, Stephen Street, Mill Hill, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.