China’s GMO rice clears USFDA’s safety inspection

China’s genetically modified (GMO) Huahui 1 rice has cleared safety inspections conducted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) authorities.

Developed by a team of researchers at the Huazhong University (Huazhong) in China’s central Hubei province, Huahui 1 is claimed to have characteristics that can resist pests such as rice stem borer.

With the clearance, Huahui 1 can now be retailed in the US.

Though the rice grain obtained a safety certificate from the Chinese regulatory authorities in 2009, it was never approved by the domestic authorities for commercial production due to safety concerns raised by consumers across the country.

The university research team was notified by USFDA that it is satisfied with the nutritional and safety assessments carried out by the team.

Earlier, the GMO rice had passed pesticide residue level tests conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

China has invested billions of dollars in developing GMO crops according to media reports, but the commercial production has taken a backstage due to consumer concerns.

With the receipt of safety clearance from food regulatory authorities, Huazhong anticipates that it will address concerns of Chinese consumers over the safety of its GMO rice.