Author: Larry Pynn
Publication: Vancouver Sun
Date: Tuesday, December 18, 2007

An experimental, genetically engineered rice from the U.S. not authorized in Canada has slipped across the border and been sold in Vancouver without the federal government's knowledge.

But 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 rice -- LLRICE601 -- have been discovered "do not pose any safety concerns" and require no further federal action.

"Quite frankly, nothing," Stephen Yarrow, director of the agency's plant biosafety office, said in an interview from Ottawa. "It's not a safety concern. Technically, it's illegal to bring this rice into Canada. But we're confident that the presence of this 601 will disappear over time."

Yarrow was commenting in response to an announcement from Josh Brandon, agriculture campaigner for Greenpeace Canada, that independent genetic lab tests conducted by the environmental group found traces of the unauthorized rice in Vancouver and a store in Montreal.

Brandon said the rice was found in a two-kg Western Family brand package, imported by Overwaitea and sold at Buy-Low Foods in the Kingsgate Mall at 370 East Broadway.

Brandon said the rice entered the U.S. 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 disclosed the contamination last year, he said.

The rice is currently approved for sale in the U.S., but Bayer has not applied for acceptance in Canada.

He added the incident further emphasizes the need for mandatory labelling of genetically engineered foods.

Yarrow argued labelling in this case would have achieved nothing. "If it doesn't pose a safety risk, that would be redundant. People are reasonably comfortable with the regulatory system in place."

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 per cent 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 added.

Greenpeace measured to levels of 0.01 per cent, a more stringent test, which Brandon said are more closely aligned with those in Europe, and encouraged Canada to follow suit.

Brandon said the rice package has the bar code 62639 17323.

Overwaitea officials could not be reached to comment.