Australia and New Zealand OK Golden Rice imports

Food derived from Provitamin A rice line GR2E can be sold in Australia and New Zealand. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) released the approval report for Application A1138 submitted by the International Rice Research Institute seeking approval for food derived from rice line GR2E, genetically modified (GM) to produce provitamin A carotenoids, especially beta-carotene, in the grain.

FSANZ stressed that the approval was meant to prevent trade disruption should GR2E be inadvertently present in imported shipments of milled rice, and that GR2E is not intended to be used in the Australian or New Zealand food supplies.

A safety assessment and nutrition risk assessment of GM rice line GR2E are included as supporting documents to the report. No potential public health and safety concerns have been identified. Based on the data provided in the present Application, and other available information, food derived from line GR2E is considered to be as safe for human consumption as food derived from conventional rice cultivars.

For more information, read the Approval Report and supporting documents on the FSANZ website.