Chinese Rice Still Contains Unlicensed Events

Chinese rice imports to New Zealand are being tested for a banned genetically altered strain after a crackdown by the European Union.  The New Zealand Food Safety Authority's (NZFSA) focus on rice comes as the EU has introduced an urgent testing regime since China has been unable to prevent unauthorized Bt-63 genetically engineered rice from reaching Europe (as mentioned in Chemically Speaking, October 2006).

In mid-April, the NZFSA confirmed it was testing 13 samples of Chinese rice products of the same type that EU authorities have identified as being affected by Bt-63.  The variety of insect-resistant rice has been developed in China and cultivated in experimental trials there.  Although it has not been approved under the EU's food-safety legislation, the rice has been found in shipments throughout Europe, including Britain and France.  Britain's Food Standards Agency has alerted food firms to be on the lookout for the Bt-63 rice. They have been ordered to notify the agency of suspect rice, stop it going further and recall products that have reached customers.

While Chinese rice is under worldwide scrutiny, Food Standards Australia/New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved a GE variety of rice that is being grown in the U.S.  LLRice62 has a gene that allows the crop to grow in the presence of the herbicide glufosinate.  The FSANZ assessed the rice and in a final report last month found no public health or safety concerns.  On available evidence, including detailed studies by Bayer CropScience, it said, food made from LLRice62 was “as safe and wholesome as food derived from other commercial rice varieties.”  The U.S., Canada, Argentina and Russia have already approved the rice.  FSANZ's report said foods made from LLRice62 would need GE labeling if novel plant DNA or protein was present.  Processed items, such as rice bran oil, which were unlikely to have detectable traces of the DNA or proteins, would not require labeling.  (Stuff.co.nz, 4/16/08).