China suspends 'GM rice' scientist pending further probes by ethics panel

Chinese health authorities have suspended a government researcher involved in a controversial genetically modified rice trial at a Hunan primary school and criticised the American research chief for failing to get the necessary approvals.

The Chinese Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said its researcher, Dr Yin Shian, had made contradictory statements during an inquiry into the trial, which became a source of national outrage after several people involved denied knowing that rice fed to the pupils had been genetically altered.

The CDC said in a statement posted on its website on Monday that Yin, who worked for the centre's food nutrition and safety institute, would face further investigation by its scientific ethics review committee.

The agency also demanded that the lead researcher, Dr Tang Guangwen from Boston's Tufts University, produce a detailed explanation of the study and all documents relevant to the rice trials conducted in Hengyang in 2008.

The CDC said: "The research described in the paper has not received mandatory review and approval from the Ministry of Health." The agency also called for an investigation by Tufts University, something the university already promised last week.

The study was trying to determine whether beta-carotene-infused "golden rice" could boost vitamin A levels in children and help fight diet-influenced diseases in developing countries. The results, which appeared promising, were published last month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Golden rice has been a central focus of an international humanitarian effort to improve nutrition in poor countries where rice is a traditional diet staple.