China should tighten GM rice tests on exports - EU

lanbo78

BRUSSELS, July 1 (Reuters) - China needs to tighten controls to ensure that none of its rice exports contain traces of a biotech strain not authorised in the European Union, the EU's executive Commission said in a report on Wednesday. The report was based on a visit made to China by an EU inspection team in late November and early December 2008 to check Chinese controls for the presence of Bt-63 rice, a variety that has been modified to resist particular insect pests.

China has 29 laboratories designated to carry out control analysis of Bt-63 in its rice products. While the EU report said these had been found to be well staffed and equipped, there were problems elsewhere in the control chain that needed addressing.

"There are some shortcomings regarding lack of practical simplified sampling instructions available to inspectors and lack of know-how on specific details of the methodology for Bt-63 detection in official control laboratories," it said.

While China had a control system in place to ensure that its rice products exported to EU markets met the rules, it had not provided the inspection team with enough information on how it was dealing with illegal exports and possible fraud, it said.

At present, no biotech rice may be grown, sold or marketed in the EU's 27 countries, where consumers have a reputation for mistrust of genetically modified (GM) crops and foods. GM food manufacturers, however, insist that their products are safe.

China itself has not approved commercial cultivation of GM rice, although there are numerous field trials in the country.

Since April 2008, national governments have been obliged to test Chinese rice imports on their arrival at EU ports.

Rice cargoes destined for EU markets have to be tested by an official or accredited laboratory in China and accompanied by an analytical report to show they do not contain the Bt-63 strain.

The rules were imposed after several EU countries reported evidence of Bt-63 rice between 2006 and 2007.

The EU inspection report said numbers of such cases reported via its rapid alert food and feed system were slightly higher in 2008 than in the two previous years -- 14 notifications last year, compared with 11 each in 2006 and 2007, it said.

The electronic system, administered by the European Commission's food safety department, allows other EU countries to identify risks to their food and feed chain within the shortest time possible.

EU imports of rice and rice products from China usually account for 4-5 percent of imports of the same commodities. But some rice products have a much higher share, like cooked or prepared rice pasta -- where up to 40 percent comes from China. (Reporting by Jeremy Smith, Editing by Peter Blackburn)

Wed Jul 1, 2009 11:16am EDT

lanbo78

路透布鲁塞尔7月1日电---欧盟执委会周三在一份报告中指出,中国必须加强控管,确保出口大米不含一种未获欧盟许可的生技基因.


欧盟一支检查小组去年11月底及12月初访问中国,了解中国对Bt-63大米的控管.Bt-63稻米是一种基因改造品种,具有特定抗虫能力.


中国有29座指定实验室,对大米产品进行Bt-63控管分析.欧盟的报告指出,这些实验室人力及设备充足,但在控管系统的其他环节存在问题,必须解决.


"检验人员缺乏可行的简化取样说明,官方管制实验室也缺少Bt-63检验方法特定细节的说明,"报告指出.


报告称,虽然中国设有一套管制体系,以确保输往欧盟市场的大米产品符合规定,但中国并未提供足够讯息给欧盟小组,说明中国如何处理非法出口及可能的欺诈行为.


目前欧盟27国禁止种植、销售、宣传基因改造大米.


中国本身尚未准许商业性种植基因改造大米,但境内有许多田野试种.


自2008年4月起,欧盟各国政府都必须检验抵达欧盟港口的进口中国大米.


销往欧盟市场的大米,必须接受中国官方或认证实验室检验,取得分析报告,证明不含Bt-63成分.


在2006年到2007年间,好几个欧盟国家曾通报发现Bt-63稻米.


欧盟报告指出,2008年透过欧盟食品饲料快速警报系统通报的案例数目,比前两年略高,去年共14件,2006及2007年各11件.


这套电子系统由欧盟执委会食品安全部门管理,可让其他欧盟国家在最短时间内确认食品及饲料的风险因子.(完)


--编译 蔡美珍;审校 王露迪

Carrie_2008

我们想出口大米，拿样品到SGS检测，检测出了Bt63，生意是不敢做了，中国的大米大片被污染啊~

lanbo78

欧盟全面查验“违禁”中国大米
近日，欧盟重新炒作中国大米掺有违法的“Bt63”转基因大米，要求对中国进口大米实施严密及全面检查。此举意味着从4月15日起，仅有极少数中国大米及米类食品可进入欧盟各成员国。
欧盟查验措施声明如下：“所有从中国进口的大米制品都将受到欧盟认可实验室的检验，并附上确定未含‘Bt63’的检测分析报告，对已经投放市场的大米产品进行随机抽样和分析。6个月之后，欧盟将对中国输欧大米予以重新评估。”
欧盟称，实施遏制中国转基因大米进入措施事出有因，2006年欧盟成员国英、法、德在市场抽样中检查出中国大米含“Bt63”转基因成分，尽管随后中国政府保证采取措施，但直到2007年底这种大米仍然被发现。根据欧盟食品安全法，只有经过严格认可的转基因食品方能进入到欧洲市场，所以这些大米全被撤架封存。据悉，“Bt63”转基因大米是含有抗虫基因的大米,能够抵抗病害，增加稻产量，但用这种大米制成的儿童食品可能影响婴儿健康。
欧盟此次事件可能加重中国大米、大米制品、米粉食品等出口商的成本，估计损失难以计量。为此，相关大米出口企业需根据欧盟检验措施要求，有针对性地调整实施生产经营战略，发展健康安全大米及大米制品，提高中国大米在欧洲市场的竞争力。