August 3, 2010

China enforces strict GM rules to ensure food safety

China attaches great importance to the safety of transgenetic food and imposes strict rules over the imports of genetic modified agricultural products, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said.

Currently, there are over 20 varieties of genetically modified corn in the world. Of them, 11 have passed China's food safety check and won permits to enter China, the NDRC said.

China has seldom imported corn, and this year is the first time China has imported corn in large quantities.

Imported corn must be examined by the agricultural and quarantine authorities, and their storage, shipment and processing are subject to the scrutiny of quality inspection bureaus.

The residues of processed corn should be destroyed and banned from circulation on the raw grain market.

In the case of soy, China imported 166 million tonnes from 2005 to 2009, most of which was genetically modified. But thanks to strict regulatory measures, the imports did not produce any adverse effect on the safety of soyoil and fodder.

The remarks came after media reports that COFCO, a leading grain, oils and foodstuffs import and export group in China, imported 61,000 tonnes of transgenetic corn from the US.

It is the first time COFCO has imported such a large amount of transgenetic corn in 14 years. The corn will be shipped to South China's Guangdong province and used as fodder.