Changing lifestyle fads and informed consumers could help fob off attempts by industrial lobbies to push through genetically modified (GM) food, says a global consumer activist.

"We are not alone in this fight. Environmentalists, civil societies, nationalists are all working to protect the environment, the farmers and consumers rights. We can threaten not to buy genetically modified products," said S. Sothi Rachagan, director of Consumers International - Asia Pacific.

The London-headquartered Consumer International has around 250 members in 105 countries including a dozen consumer forums in India.

In the capital now to attend a three-day workshop organised by the Gene Campaign and consumer organisation VOICE, Kuala Lumpur- based Rachagan is keen that people become more aware of GM technology, its food and environment safety aspects.

To this end, the organisation had commissioned a resource guide by Suman Sahai, a geneticist and convenor of Gene Campaign, which was launched at the conference and is available online at the consumer forum's website.

"Influenced by Buddhist Zen principles or health fads, many people are rejecting fast food and genetically modified foods. If we can hold on for some more time, US-based GM seeds major) Monsanto could go bust," Rachagan told IANS.

Quick to disburse the notion that he was against genetic modification per se, Rachagan said the consumer movement was against the new patent regime that believed in locking up a lot of knowledge currently in public domain and denying farmers rights.

The organisation, which has been taking up a number of consumer interest issues at global forums like the World Trade Organisation, is keen that the current industry funded scientific studies into GM technology should be replaced by studies bearing in mind the consumer and environment issues.

Admitting that GM technology is here to stay, Rachagan urged greater care and rigour in protecting the interests of farmers and consumers.

India is the only country to have in place legislation that provides some protection for farmers' interests. It ensures the continuation of the age-old tradition of handing back to the farmer a fistful of grains after harvest to conserve and carry forward the strain of food crop.

The GM technology with its patent regime, the official stated, is contrary to this spirit as it ignores the farmers' interest.

"Before releasing any GM seeds for commercial cultivation there is need for extensive controlled studies over several generation of products and under different conditions. There is also need for proper criteria of assessment of risks," said Rachagan.

Introduction of any GM seed cannot be done arbitrarily as the risk can carry across geographical boundaries.

"A decision has to decide for particular ecological systems. It cannot be made by politicians but regionally as even oceans separating continents are proved to be no barriers. Our stand is to go slow and with due caution," said Rachagan.

Through creating consumer awareness and proper labelling, he felt consumers could make more informed choices of desirability of consuming GM products.

Apart from issues of patent curbing spread of knowledge, the Consumer International has been voicing concerns about movement of substandard but high priced second hand goods, restricted goods and toxic wastes among others.

"We have been seeking standards for second hand goods and movement of unsafe goods and products from high pressure to low pressure countries," said the consumer activist.

As regards the highly "explosive" consignment of steel scrap that landed in India from Iran earlier this month that led to 10 deaths, he said it is important for countries to have in place good legislations to take action.

At the global level while there does exist the UN consolidated lists of banned and restricted goods, national framework legislation is required to bring it into force as in the case of toxic wastes.