GMO Rice Protein From China Used in EU Animal Feed

The European Commission has expressed concern to China over unauthorised imports of genetically modified rice protein for use in animal feed, Britain's food safety watchdog said.

Britain's Food Standards Agency said in a statement issued late Thursday that the GMO line Bt63 had been found in rice protein concentrate imported from China via the Netherlands.

Businesses in the UK, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain received the rice protein.

The GMO line has not been authorised in the EU.

The FSA said an alert was issued after an investigation in Cyprus uncovered the GMO product.

Much of the feed had, however, already been used or sold earlier this year before the alert was issued.