Experimental Chinese GM rice strain wins landmark US approval. But it’s still banned in China
Developer says Chinese limits on cultivation mean variety is still a long way from market
US food and environmental authorities have for the first time approved the use of a Chinese strain of genetically modified rice, opening the way for the commercialisation of the controversial experimental crop in the United States.
The US Food and Drug Administration said on Saturday that there were no safety or regulatory issues with food derived from Huahui-1 rice, the Chinese developer of the variety said in an online statement on the weekend. It followed similar approval given earlier by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
“This means that the rice can now be exported to the US and sold to the general public there,” Huazhong Agricultural University biotechnologist Professor Yan Jianbing said.
“It’s also an important step for possible international trade of the product in the future.
“If it [can’t be grown] at home, it might be worth trying to grow it in other countries.”
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Huahui-1 is an insect-resistant crop developed by a team led by Huazhong Agricultural University professor Zhang Qifa, and is one of two varieties approved for experimental use in China. The developers will still need US Department of Agriculture approval to grow it there.
