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Products concerned are being immediately withdrawn from the market, replaced by new products and the matter is being discussed with the Italian supplier who guaranteed the absence of GMO by all necessary certificates.  

Rice with unauthorized genetic modification appeared on the Czech market. Although negative effects on health have not been proved, genetically modified rice must not be sold in the EU. The case was notified today by the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) in its press release. Similar case has recently occurred in Slovakia. 

The case concerns the product Euroshopper Long Grain Rice – cooking bags, batch 2101082 and Long Grain Rice – cooking bags, batch 2201081. Rice was packed by the Czech company Podravka - Lagris, Dolní Lhota u Luhačovic. It was supplied by certified Italian supplier who guaranteed by all necessary certificates that rice has not been genetically treated. The same type of genetically modified rice appeared in the EU last year and its origin was in the United States. The modification was developed by the American company Bayer Crop Science.  

“This finding took us by surprise. We do not understand how it could happen, how this genetically modified rice could reach the European market. We pay close attention to the quality control of our products. Our rice supplier guaranteed by all necessary certificates that the products do not contain genetic modification. We could not prevent this; there is not any mechanism we could use. It is not technically possible to check every kilogram and every grain of rice by specific tests for genetic modifications. In the production chain, we trust that valid certificates issued within the EU guarantee what has been certified. When genetically modified rice occurred in Slovakia we even sent samples for special tests to accredited laboratory of SVI Jihlava where analyses did not establish the presence of genetic modification” says Pavel Pichler, Director General of Podravka - Lagris.  

And he adds: “We are now taking all possible measures. Although according to our findings it is an isolated case, we withdraw immediately all products from the consignment concerned and replaced them with a new consignment. We provide all necessary cooperation to the CAFIA and other authorities in the Czech Republic and in the EU to investigate the case and to reveal the real cause of this mistake. We discuss the matter with the Italian supplier. We will probably cease cooperation with it.”  

The case relates only to rice from this Italian supplier and in no case it relates to other Podravka production.  “We will immediately inform the pubic, our customers, suppliers and state control authorities about all other measures,” says Pavel Pichler.