FSANZ calls for submissions on GM rice application

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has called for submissions on an application to permit a genetically modified rice that aims to address vitamin A deficiencies in developing countries.
FSANZ Chief Executive Officer, Mark Booth, said the International Rice Research Institute, a humanitarian organisation, applied to include the rice, often referred to as golden rice, in the Food Standards Code.
“The institute is seeking to grow the rice in developing countries to address severe vitamin A deficiency that can lead to blindness and other health issues,” Booth said.
“They are applying for permission to include it in the Code to prevent any trade issues, in the event small amounts of the rice inadvertently end up in shipments of other rice imported into Australia.”
FSANZ has conducted a safety assessment and concluded there are no public health and safety concerns by permitting the rice into the Code.
“The dietary intake assessment conservatively modelled an artificial situation in which all rice eaten in Australia was Golden Rice and concluded that this may result in a 2–13% increase in estimated intakes of β-carotene—equivalent to the amount of β-carotene from approximately 1 teaspoon or less of carrot juice.” Booth said.
Submissions close at 6pm Canberra time 14 September 2017.
Related articles
- Australian GM rice breakthrough gives hope to micronutrient deficient billions
- Escaped GM ricestrain: $1.5 million in damages
- Australian researchers develop a bananaricher in vitamin A
Smoothie and juice chain, Boost Juice, is moving into drive-thru stores.
Whilst Australia is in the middle of an “ideas boom”, there is one country that is being turned to a...
Researchers have found evidence that those who do not like cheese can acquire a taste for it after c...
Dairy producer Parmalat says it is set to disrupt the Australian iced coffee market by introducing “...
With 1 in 70 Australians diagnosed with coeliac disease and 14% reporting a sensitivity to gluten, ...
The Australian wine sector has recorded its third consecutive increase in crush and average purchase...
Woolworths says it is preparing for the rumoured entry of AmazonFresh into Australia in 2017 by alre...
3D printed meat may seem fanciful to the average Australian, but it represents an exciting and reali...