GMW: Japan Suspends US Long-Grain Rice Imports

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GMW: Japan Suspends US Long-Grain Rice Imports

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Sun, 20 Aug 2006 12:37:54 +0100

 

 

 

 

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UPDATE: Japan Suspends US Long-Grain Rice Imports -Report

Sunday August 20th, 2006 / 12h36

http://www.easybourse.com/Website/dynamic/News.php?NewsID=44088 & #9001;=fra & NewsR\

ubrique=2

 

TOKYO (AP)--Japan has suspended imports of U.S. long-grain rice

following a positive test for trace amounts of a genetically modified

strain

not approved for human consumption, a news report said Sunday.

 

Japan's Health Ministry imposed the suspension on Saturday after being

informed by U.S. federal officials that trace amounts of the unapproved

strain had been discovered in commercially available long-grain rice,

the Asahi newspaper said.

 

The genetically engineered rice was detected by Bayer CropScience AG.

The German company then notified U.S. officials. The strain is not

approved for sale in the U.S., but two other strains of rice with the

same

genetically engineered protein are.

The ministry will instruct companies not to process or sell any U.S.

long-grain rice they may already have imported, though it has so far not

received any report this year that any company has imported or plans to

import such rice, the Asahi said.

 

The ministry has requested the U.S. government to enact strict

controls, the Asahi said, adding that the suspension does not affect

short- and

medium-grain rice imports.

 

The Health Ministry does not include any strain of rice on its list of

genetically modified foods approved for sale in Japan.

 

Health Ministry officials were unavailable for comment Sunday.

 

 

 

 

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