Brussels, Sep. 11 - The European Commission Monday reported that 33 out of 162 samples of rice imports to Europe contained illegal genetically modified strains.
In a statement released after a meeting of experts from all 25 EU members, the Commission said all the consignments which have tested positive have been recalled or withheld from the market.
In July, Bayer AG (BAY) said it had found the Liberty Link Rice 601 strain - known as LL Rice 601 - in storage units in the farming states of Arkansas and Missouri. Since then, the E.U. has tightened screening regulations to stop biotech rice from entering its market. It's illegal to import Genetically modified rice in any of the E.U.'s 25 countries.
On Monday, the commission said the European Federation of Rice Millers, representing about 90% of all E.U. trade in rice, had tested the 162 samples.
Also, the commission reported that some of the 20,000 tonnes of U.S. rice detained in Rotterdam are tainted with LL Rice 601. Of the barges tested, Dutch regulators found rice that tested positive for LL Rice 601 in three barges and rice that tested negative in 20 barges.
Environmental group Greenpeace Monday reported evidence of the tainted rice in German supermarkets Monday. Last week, the group also said they found genetically modified rice coming from China.
The commission says it must verify these reports and is requesting further information from national authorities.
The commission also urged national governments and the rice industry to intensify their product testing.