Morrisons is withdrawing two rice products after an environmental group said they contained unauthorised genetically modified (GMO) rice. Environmental group Friends of the Earth said in a statement the GMO strain had been found in two samples of rice from Morrisons stores. At present it is forbidden to grow, sell or market any biotech rice in the European Union's 25 countries.

"The discovery of GMO-contaminated rice on supermarket shelves is extremely worrying," Helen Holder, from Friends of the Earth Europe, said in Brussels. "GM rice is illegal, it has not even been properly investigated and there is no guarantee that it is safe for human consumption," she said. Morrisons said it had taken the products off its shelves.

NamNews - Monday 18th September 2006

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