HelenWallace, of GeneWatchUK, told TheTimes: "YourDNAcontains very personalinformationaboutyou, andin thelonger termwe can't be certainthis won't be used byinsurancecompanies.
But Dr Sue Mayer, director of independent policy research group Genewatch UK, said fruit growers should not be swayed by "bullying biotechnology companies".
However, Becky Price, from the pressure group GeneWatch, said there was evidence that another form of supposedly disabled E. coli could survive in sewage systems.