FoE Europe - GMOs - Rice Contamination

Cases of GM rice contamination in Europe

(Last updated 05.12.06)

Introduction

Since the United States Department of Agriculture USDA announced on August 18th 2006 that the unauthorised GM rice LL601 had entered the food chain in the US a growing number of cases of GM rice contamination have come to light in Europe. The rice (produced by Bayer) has not been approved in the US or in Europe and has not undergone any official assessments to determine its health or environmental impact.

Shortly after a second illegal rice (an experimental variety from China referred to as Xianyou BT63) was found in food supplies throughout Europe.

Cases of contamination with a third GM rice - Liberty Link 62 (LL62) - have been detected by French authorities recently.

Below is a list of contamination case by country. The list continues to grow as more cases are being uncovered week on week.

US GM rice LL601 (Bayer)

18 August: Announcement by USDA that unauthorised LL601 rice had entered the food chain in the US23 August: EC Emergency measures put in place requiring shipments of long grain rice from the US to be certified as free of LL601 rice25 August: Member States validate the Emergency Measures.

European Federation of Rice Millers
In a hearing on 11 September 2006, the Commission Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health heard a presentation by the European Federation of Rice Millers, which represents about 90% of the rice trade in the EU. The trade association reported that out of 162 samples of rice tested by its members so far, 33 had been tested positive for the LL601 variant.
(source: EurActive 13.9.06 http://www.euractiv.com/en/food/eu-strives-find-gmo-needle-rice-haystack/article-157769 )

Belgium
Belgium's Federal Food Safety Agency has blocked at Antwerp port a 20-ton shipload of rice from the United States.
The load is said to contain genetically modified rice and it is part of a 700-ton load that arrived in Antwerp last June. The Federal Food Safety Agency has now ordered the importer to call back the rice already sold to shops.
(source: The People's daily online http://english.people.com.cn/200609/23/eng20060923_305503.html)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 25.9.06 )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 29.9.06 )

Cyprus
The company Riceland in Cyprus annouced that govermnent tests found that the product Riceland Parboiled contained unauthorised GMO rice. They asked the puplic no to use it this rice if they had already bought it.
(source: Simerini, 7.10.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 6.10.06 )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 20.10.06 )

Finland
The Finnish food safety authority Evira announced on 6.10. 06 that they had found illegal LL601 rice traces in 6 out of 9 samples. The officials said that part of the rice was already on the shelves of
foodstores.
(source http://www.evira.fi/ )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 5.10.06 )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 6.10.06 )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 14.11.06 )

France
France confirmed that traces of a banned genetically modified strain of rice had been found in imports from the United States. French market and consumer regulator DGCCRF said that traces of the LL601 strain of rice had been detected in seven out of 19 samples tested.
(source: Yahoo News 14.9.06 http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060914/hl_afp/franceusfarmbiotech_060914181721 )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 11.10.06 )

Greece
EU Rapid alert notified on 24.11.06 on two incidents

Hungary
The Hungarian food authorities have found GM rice of US origin in one of 11 samples.
(source: http://index.hu/gazdasag/magyar/gensz060929 )

Ireland
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) confirmed that samples taken from own-brand American rice on sale at Tesco stores had tested positive.
(source: Daily Mail (Ireland), 20 September 2006
http://www.gmfreeireland.org/news/index.php )
The most recent results provided by the State Laboratory to the FSAI identified a number of rice products in which GM rice LLRICE 601 was found to be present. GM rice was detected in three brands, Nice Price Long Grain Rice produced in the EU for Musgrave Group, Marks & Spencer American Easy Cook Rice product and St. Bernard Easy Cook Rice. Both the St. Bernard and the Marks & Spencer products had been certified as GM-free.
(source: Food safety authority of Ireland)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 19.9.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 11.10.06 on two incidents)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 12.10.06)

Italy
Italy has found an unauthorized genetically modified variety (LL601) of rice in four samples of shipments from North America, the Health Ministry said.
(source: Associated Press, 22 September 2006)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 22.9.06 four incidents)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 11.10.06 )

Luxemburg
The Health Ministery has revealed that retailers in Luxemburg have found 2 cases of contamination with LL601 rice . The products have been taken of the shelves.
(source: Sécurité alimentaire Luxemburg)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 06.11.06 )

Malta
(EU Rapid alert notified on 16.10.06 on two incidents)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 17.10.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 18.10.06 on two incidents)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 28.11.06)

Netherlands
The Dutch authorities found positives on two barge loads within a 20,000-tonne cargo that was certified GM free by the industry.
The Rotterdam cargo was split into 30 consignments each equating to the volume of one barge. One of the two consignments that the Dutch tests revealed as carrying the LL Rice 601 strain is still under the control of the Dutch authorities. The other was sent to Belgium, where it is also being held by the national authorities.
A further 11 consignments that were initially certified as GMO-free were sent to Britain, France and Germany.
The four countries have been asked to conduct checks to trace any rice from the barge loads that had been released to them.
(source: Reuters 22.9.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 30.8.06)
(EU Rapid alert again notified on 4.9.06 on five incidents )
(EU Rapid alert again notified on 20.9.06)

In the UK the barges are now being held at the rice mills. (source: FSA by personal communication 22.9.06)

Norway (Non EU)
Norway's Food Safety Authority enforced safeguard measures in August after it became known that long grained rice from the USA could contain genetically modified rice not approved in Norway and the European Union.
Several Norwegian products are now known to contain the illegal rice, and food supplier Rieber and Son have now recalled the affected products in their Toro line.
(source checkbiotech 28.9.06; original source: Aftenposten)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 3.10.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 4.10.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 5.10.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 18.10.06 on four incidents)
(Norway is not part of the EU, but participates in the Rapid alert system)

Poland
(EU Rapid alert notified on 09.11.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 14.11.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 21.11.06)

Slovenia
(EU Rapid alert notified on 22.9.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 30.11.06)

Sweden
Sweden have also discovered traces of a banned genetically modified substance in imported US rice
(source: Deutsche Welle 14.9.06
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2171602,00.html )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 31.8.06)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 10.10.06 on four incidents)

Switzerland (Non EU)
The country's largest retailer Migros has confirmed finding traces of genetically modified rice. The LL 601 rice was found in a shipment of 1,500 tons
(source swissinfo 12.9.2006 )

United Kingdom
- Supplies of rice sold by Morrisons are known to have been contaminated and have recently been withdrawn. (2 positive samples 14.9.)
(source FOE press release http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2006/HH_17_Sept_Morrisons_rice.html )
- Tesco and Sainbury's have also withdrawn American rice amid concerns it may be contaminated (source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=406376&in_page_id=1770 )
- Waitrose have withdrawn two rice products following own testing for GM contamination (source: Waitrose communication)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 21.9.06 on two incidents)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 28.9.06 )
(EU Rapid alert notified on 12.10.06 on two incidents)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 17.10.06 on two incidents)
(EU Rapid alert notified on 08.11.06 )

Experimental Chinese rice (Xianyou BT63)

UK
France
Germany
Austria

Rice products tested in the UK, France and Germany (FOE press release 5.9.06) as well as Austria (http://www.genfood.at/ news 21.9.06) were found to be contaminated with an unauthorized BT GM rice. The products were found in Asian specialty stores and were imported from China. The illegal rice is an experimental variety genetically engineered to produce an insecticide.

(France notified EU Rapid alert on 7.9.06)
(France notified EU Rapid alert on 12.10.06)
(Germany notified EU Rapid alert on 21.9.06)
(Germany notified EU Rapid alert on 27.9.06)
(Germany notified EU Rapid alert on 28.9.06)
(Germany notified EU Rapid alert on 29.9.06 on two incidents)
(Germany notified EU Rapid alert on 6.10.06)
(Germany notified EU Rapid alert on 11.10.06)
(Austria notified EU Rapid alert on 27.9.06)

Liberty Link 62

French authorities' recently found unauthorized rice LL62 in France imported from the U.S. and notified the European rapid alert system, spokesman Philip Tod told Dow Jones Newswires. Again the source of the contamination is Bayer Cropscience.

(source: Dow Jones newswire http://www.djnewswires.com. Confirmed by the EU Commission)