- The Guardian,
- Tuesday February 13 2001
Three executives at Aventis CropScience in the US have been sacked after a scandal last year in which the French firm's banned genetically modified maize was found in food at Taco Bell restaurants.
Aventis's agribusiness head office in Lyon confirmed yesterday that Maurice Delage, president of its US crop sciences division, left the firm on Friday. General counsel Karen Weiner and Ed Makowski, vice president of market development, were also dismissed.
An Aventis spokesman said it was "fair" to link the departure of the three to controversy concerning StarLink - a form of maize developed by the company to resist insects.
US regulators approved StarLink for use in animal feed, but banned it from the human food chain amid concern that it could cause allergic rashes and diarrhoea.
Aventis promised to keep StarLink separate from crops intended for food supplies. But tests by pressure group Friends of the Earth revealed traces in taco shells served at branches of Taco Bell.
The incident has infuriated environmentalists and has cost Aventis a fortune - the group has set aside $100m (£65m) to cover compensation for farmers and customers.
