You can imagine a doomsday scenario Ronald Finn, BSAEM

An expert on plant toxins, Dr Pusztai was suspended by the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen and did not have his annual contract renewed after he publicised his findings on British television.

Former president of the British Society of Allergy and Environmental Medicine Ronald Finn said: "Dr Pusztai's results at the very least raise the suspicion that genetically modified potatoes may damage the immune system."

He continued: "You can imagine a doomsday scenario. If the immune system of the population was weakened, then the mortality would be increased many, many times."

Dr Pustzai, 68, found the internal organs and immune systems of rats was altered by the presence of an additional gene - responsible for the production of the plant toxin lectin - in the potatoes.

A researcher at the department of pathology at Aberdeen University, Stanley Ewen, has just released details of his own experiments indicating rats fed on GM - or transgenic - potatoes absorbed lectin into their intestines.

Mr Ewen explained: "It may be that in GM food a drug-delivery system has been created, delivering something you didn't want to."

The director of the Rowett Institute, Philip James, has defended his decision to suspend Dr Pusztai saying he had become "muddled" over key aspects of the potato experiments.

He denied he had come under political pressure to dismiss the controversial scientist.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has rejected calls for a moratorium on GM food saying there is a rigorous regulatory process before they reach supermarket shelves in the UK.

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