This is Plymouth 6/8/98 'Happiness' food that could help dieters lose weight But critics say it may be used for future 'mind control' Scientists are studying a 'happiness' drug which could help people lose weight. But one expert fears it may turn into a sci-fi style exercise in mass mind control. Researchers believe that adding the chemical - tryptophan - to food would help overweight people eat less. Diets often fail because smaller meals contain less tryptophan, which makes the mood-forming chemical serotonin. Too little serotonin and people become depressed - leading them to abandon their diet. But nutrition expert Professor Tim Lang, from Thames Valley University, fears that adding the chemical to food could have sinister effects in years to come. He told the Daily Mail: 'This could be a slippery slope. 'Twenty or 30 years from now, states or companies could be using this technique to exercise mass psychological control - and people will be asking why they were not told in time.' The Medical Research Council - which receives Government funding - is leading the investigation into whether 'happy food' would help obese people shed the pounds. Unilever - which produces Wall's Ice Cream and Flora margarine - is also backing the study. A Unilever spokesman said: 'This particular research is very long term. 'I do stress that it will have no impact whatsoever on any of our current products.' But Professor Lang said other less scrupulous nations than Britain might see mood-enhanced food as an opportunity to control their people. He added: 'It could be used by totalitarian regimes which want to manipulate people.'
