UK government food watchdog gave green light to sell 'illegal' genetically modified rice.

carlow | consumer issues | other press Sunday September 17, 2006 23:29 by Paddy Murphy - Greenpeace

Friends of the Earth has found GM material in two samples of ...

Today, The UK Independent newspaper reveals that "Britain's official food safety watchdog has privately told supermarkets that it will not stop them selling an illegal GM rice to the public". Documents seen by the newspaper show that the Food Standards Agency assured major manufacturers and retailers 10 days ago that it would not make them withdraw the rice - at the same time as it was telling the public it should not be allowed to go on sale.

Last night, Peter Ainsworth, the shadow Environment Secretary, described the agency's conduct as "a massive scandal".