Food Law News - EU - 2008

FSA Local Authority Letter (ENF/E/08/024), 10 April 2008

GMOs - Unauthorised “Bt 63” Genetic Modification in Specified Products from China

You will wish to be aware that Commission Decision 2008/289/EC on emergency measures regarding the unauthorised genetically modified organism “Bt63” in rice products, was published in the Official Journal on 9 April 2008, (OJ No. L96, 9.4.2008, p.29).

The Food Standards Agency has issued a Food Alert to Heads of Environmental Health Services and Directors of Trading Standards in this regard, and this is available at: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/apr/bt643

Annexed to this letter is a letter issued to port health authorities on 9 April 2008, and a copy of Commission Decision 2008/289/EC [see links below]. The letter to port health authorities contains a list of accredited laboratories in China which can issue the analytical report to accompany consignments of rice and rice products from China. An example of the analytical report is also included in the letter. These documents were received from the Commission on 9 April 2008. Food Business Operators and Trade Associations have been forwarded this information.

Links:

• A copy of the letter to Port Health Authorities is available on this site. See: Chinese Rice - Letter to PHAs
• The Commission Decision is available on the Eur-Lex web site. See Commission Decision - Chinese Rice