• Source: Global Times
• [02:37 December 24 2009]
• Comments

By Huang Jingjing

The approval of two types of genetically engineered pest resistant rice for widespread production in China has generated safety concerns among experts.

The Ministry of Agriculture published a list of crops on stee.agri.gov.cn on October 22 that were granted bio-safety certificates and were approved for agricultural cultivation and production. At the bottom of the list are two transgenic anti-pest rice varieties, TT51 and Bt Shanyou 63, developed in the National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural Univer-sity (HAU).

Some complained that the ministry violated the public's right to learn the details of the lab work and they should publicize the research and assessment procedures.

"As the safety of the transgenetic food has been an argument, the appraisal of the rice should be transparent," Jiang Gaoming, an academic at the Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told China Youth Daily Wednesday.

"We asked to open the name list of the Crop Transgenic Biosafety Committee, which was claimed in charge of the assessment," Jiang said.

Jiang's views were echoed by Fang Lifeng of Greenpeace China's Food and Agriculture campaigner.

"The public should know who made the decision for them and see the complete proof that the rice is totally safe to human beings and for the environment," Fang told the Global Times.

He also said they are not against developing transgenic technology, but they oppose any application of the technology into biosphere and commercialization.

Transgenic rice is created by inserting DNA from another species in it to make it resistant to diseases or insects.

"Experiments carried out in Italy and France show that the transgenic corns would damage the immune system and kidney of the mice," Fang added.

The Global Times requested a comment from the ministry Wednesday with no success.

However, some experts said the safety of transgenic rice is beyond doubt.

"The anti-pest Bt only accumulates on the rice's stalks and leaves and hardly reaches the rice grains, which makes its safety above suspicion," said Zhu Yingguo of the Chinese Academy of Engineering who is also a noted scientist on hybrid rice.

According to HAU, the nutrition, toxic and allergy analysis showed that the two transgenic varieties are as safe as natural ones.

"The varieties we developed not only increase yield, but also decrease the usage of pesticides, which will be very helpful to the environment," said Peng, the director of the publicity department at the university.

He said it is also significant for China's food security in the long run.

"Now the transgenic seeds of the US have grabbed a large share in the Chinese crop seeds market, including corn, soybean and cotton," he said.

However, many Chinese said they would not eat that rice.

"Even the pests will not eat it, how could we dare to?" said Li Lun, a student from Shenzhen Polytechnic.

Peng said that view was groundless.

"First, the digestive system of human beings differ from those of pests. Besides, pests eat stalks and leaves, not the grains, how could the two compare with each other?"

Peng also said they would make efforts to publicize the rice's safety.

After getting seeds production certificates and operation licenses, the rice will be first cultivated and grown in Hubei Province.

According to the Southern Metropolis Daily, transgenic crops such as cotton, tomato and green pepper have taken the place of traditional varieties in China. Now transgenic cotton makes up 69 percent of the planting area.