Rice contaminated with an experimental variety genetically engineered to tolerate Bayer’s brand name herbicide is being sold in Canadian supermarkets.
Greenpeace is demanding that all long grain rice imported from
the United States be removed from store shelves in Canada after
independent testing confirmed that rice purchased at two
supermarkets in Vancouver and Montreal was contaminated with a
variety of genetically engineered rice not approved for human
consumption by Health Canada.
"There are no assurances that this genetically engineered rice
is safe for people to eat," said Josh Brandon, agriculture
campaigner with Greenpeace. "Even if genetically engineered food
was labelled, which it isn't anywhere in Canada, we would not know
about the presence of this variety because of lax testing on the
part of the authorities."
The rice entered the American food chain sometime after 2001
following field trials at nine sites in Arkansas and Louisiana
conducted by Bayer, the German multinational chemical corporation,
which designed the rice to tolerate its brand of herbicide. Bayer
only disclosed the contamination last year.
Many countries took immediate steps to identify contaminated
shipments. Rice exports from the United States to Europe were
suspended, while Japan tested all U.S. rice imports. So far,
contamination has been confirmed in 30 countries, costing farmers,
governments and the rice industry, Greenpeace estimates, more than
a billion dollars. The Canadian government waited several months
before implementing a very weak testing program, and then
discontinued testing altogether last fall after failing to detect
the presence of the experimental rice.
Recognizing that the testing was inadequate, Greenpeace last
month sent rice purchased at Provigo at 50 Ave Mont-Royal in
Montreal and at Buy Low Foods in the Kingsgate Mall at 370 East
Broadway in Vancouver to Genetic ID, an independent testing
facility in Fairfield, Iowa. The presence of the experimental GE
rice, LLRICE601, was found in both samples.
"If the Canadian government had taken the kinds of measures
adopted by countries such as the UK, Russia or the Philippines,
they would have found this experimental rice long ago, and it would
not be found on store shelves across Canada today," continued
Brandon. "Instead, Canadians are being experimented with, as this
country becomes a dumping ground for genetically engineered rice
that the rest of the world has already rejected."
Contaminated Rice samples
No Name brand, long grain white rice
imported by Loblaws, product code 166J2, bar code, 60383
00833.
Western Family brand
imported by Overwaitea, best before date: 09 07 16, bar code
62639 17323