Unauthorised GM In Rice Protein For Animal Feed, UK

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Veterinary;  Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Article Date: 05 May 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Animal feed containing unauthorised GM in rice protein has been imported into the UK via the Netherlands.

This came to the Agency's attention via an alert (RASSF) issued by the European Commission on 22 March 2007, following investigations in Cyprus that showed that the GM line Bt63 had been found in rice protein concentrate imported from China via the Netherlands. This GM line has not been authorised in the EU.

Details of the distribution of the feed was provided by the Dutch authorities and a further alert was issued the following day, 23 March. This showed that four businesses in the UK had received consignments of the potentially affected product from January to March 2007.

By 23 April, all four UK businesses had confirmed to the Agency that they had been contacted by the Dutch importer and their quarantined stocks of the feed had been returned for disposal. However, much of the feed had already been used or sold earlier this year before the alert was received.

Businesses in Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain were also named as receiving consignments of the rice protein concentrate. The Commission has contacted the Chinese authorities and expressed its concern over this incident.

www.food.gov.uk

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