1.Unapproved Chinese GM rice Bt63 contamination in Sweden
2.U.S GMO rice found in China supermarkets
3.'Medical' Rice in Geary County
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1.(Unofficial brief translation by Akiko Frid)
Unapproved GM rice Bt63 contamination in Sweden
Source: Newsdesk 2007-11-20 16:12
http://www.newsdesk.se/view/pressrelease/spaar-av-otillaatet-genmodifierat-ris-hittat-i-kinesiska-risnudlar-180808
The National Food Administration (Livsmedelsverket, SLV) in Sweden announced on November 20, 2007, that they found unapproved GM rice Bt63 in a rice noodle from China while they conducted spot checks concerning food from Asian countries. The contaminated noodle was from a company called Hong Kong trading in Stockholm found by the City of Stockholm's Environment and Health Administration (miljöförvaltningen i Stockholm).
18 products from Asian countries, especially food from China, were tested. And one of those products had trace of unapproved GM rice Bt63, even though the company had certified the product was free of GMOs. The other 17 products did not have any traces of GMOs.
'The Bt63 which was found was a very small amount, but when it concerns GM materials that are not approved by the EU, there should be none at all as a general rule', said Zofia Kurowska, the national food inspector.
The company, Hong Kong trading, urgently recalled the suspected products.
The National Food Administration reported the matter to the EU via the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).
More information:
Zofia Kurowska, the national food inspector:
Tel:+46-18-17 55 08
Official press release:
http://www.slv.se/templates/SLV_NewsPage.aspx?id=20702&epslanguage=SV&epslanguage=SV
Spår av otillåtet genmodifierat ris hittat i kinesiska risnudlar (Urnyhetsarkivet 2007-11-20)
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2.U.S GMO rice found in China supermarkets: Greenpeace
Reuters, Nov 20 2007 http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKPEK25292420071120
BEIJING (Reuters) - The environmental group, Greenpeace, said unauthorized genetically modified (GMO) rice from the United States was found in Beijing's supermarkets.
China does not allow sales and imports of GMO rice as rice is the staple food for most of the country's population, though it does allow imports, particularly GMO soybeans and corn, to be processed into products, or used as animal feed.
Greenpeace in Beijing collected 10 U.S food samples from two supermarkets in Beijing in August and September and testing showed one of the samples contained Liberty Link rice strain, it said in a statement.
Liberty Link RICE601, a genetically modified strain made by Bayer Crop Science, was discovered in U.S commercial rice supply last year and led to a sharp fall in U.S export sales, especially to countries in Europe.
China is a not a big rice importer from the United States.
A Ministry of Agriculture biosafety official told Reuters that the ministry was investigating the case.
There was no immediate comment from the U.S embassy in Beijing.
Greenpeace two years ago said it had found GMO rice being sold in markets in Chinese cities in the south. The strain was being test-grown at a university in Wuhan, central Hubei province.
(Reporting by Niu Shuping and Vivi Lin, Editing by Peter Blackburn)
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3.Rice in Geary County
Beth Vaughn
27 News, 21 Nov 2007 [shortened]
http://www.ksnt.com/news/local/11626226.html
A group in Junction City harvested its first crop of genetically altered rice. Ventria Bioscience calls its product 'medical food' and coins it as an advancement for childhood health.
Ventria Bioscience harvested less than 200 acres this year, a fraction of what they could harvest in years to come. Deeter says, 'We're able to change the plant in a unique way so that we can make those types of medicines more affordable.'
He has a global vision for the 'medical food'. However, Ventria has faced it's share of resistance. Is this genetically altered rice dangerous?
Deeter answers, 'These proteins are safe, we're regulated by USDA, USDA takes into account all of the issues related to the safety of producing this crop.'
Safe or not, this crop has some scientists concerned about it's effects on other crops. Deeter would not release the location of these fields. It's a company secret to protect their project.
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