In response to an increase in levels of contamination of unauthorised genetically modified (GM), the European Union has tightened controls on imports of Chinese rice products. The strict controls were voted in by the European Commission’s food safety committee.  

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Officials revealed on Tuesday that the bloc is now demanding Chinese authorities provide a report on all rice consignments prior to export, instead of the current random checks. A statement from the European Commission confirmed this was because of "an increasing detection of products contaminated with unauthorised genetically-modified (GM) rice," based on the findings of an audit carried out by the EC's Food and Veterinary Office in March and frequent reports in the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed about contaminated rice.

There have been issues of contamination from unauthorised GM rice Bt63, which has recurrently triggered notifications through EU's alert system since September 2006. In 2010, 47 alerts were triggered by contaminated rice from China.

At present, no GM rice is authorised in the EU, and some of the alerts relate to GM rice which is not authorised in China itself. The Commission release said the FVO "also indicated that there is a risk of further introductions of non-authorised genetically-modified organisms in such rice products."

The Commission said it would review its new control measures in six months.