Chicago, Dec. 18 - Traces of a type of experimental, genetically modified rice from the U.S. has been discovered in Canadian stores, the Vancouver Sun reported on its Web site late Monday.
Josh Brandon, agriculture campaigner for Greenpeace Canada, said independent genetic lab tests conducted by the environmental group found traces of the unauthorized LLRICE601, or "Liberty Link", rice in Vancouver and at a store in Montreal, according the newspaper.
Brandon said the rice was found in a two-kilogram Western Family brand package, imported by Overwaitea and sold at Buy-Low Foods in Vancouver, the newspaper reported.
LLRICE601 is a rice variety that was being developed in the U.S. by Bayer CropScience, a division of Bayer AG (BAYRY). The experimental variety was found in U.S. commercial channels in 2006.
Officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency insisted Monday there is no public health concern, despite the "regulatory infraction" because the levels at which the LLRICE601 rice have been discovered "do not pose any safety concerns" and require no further federal action.
Stephen Yarrow, director of the agency's plant biosafety office, told the newspaper, "Technically, it's illegal to bring this rice into Canada. But we're confident that the presence of this 601 will disappear over time."
The agency tested for the rice between October 2006 and September 2007, but found no traces based on tests capable of detecting levels as low as 0.5% of a shipment.
"Had we found this did pose a risk, we would have a different story, banning the material and recalls and such," Yarrow told the newspaper.
Greenpeace measured to levels of 0.01%, a more stringent test, which Brandon said are more closely aligned with those in Europe, and encouraged Canada to follow suit, according to the newspaper.