Genetic material reported by EU members in rice sticks, rice cracker, rice noodles, hydrolysed rice flour and miso paste | Photo Credit: natashamam

The European Union has found genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in at least five rice cracker, noodles or flour consignments from China so far this year, according to notifications issued by the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).

The development comes at a time when China has rejected shipments of Indian rice for alleged presence of GMOs since March this year. Besides, it has turned away consignments from Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus and Japan, which ban the cultivation of GMO crops. These countries were alleged to have shipped rapeseed oil and wheat flour. 

Data show that China has rejected a record 146 shipments between January and June, nearly four times the 38 rejections in 2025.

According to RASFF notifications, the presence of GMOs has been found in rice sticks, crackers, noodles and hydrolysed rice flour. Besides, GMO was found in Miso paste, a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, salt and a fungus called kōji.

The EU alerted the presence on March 12, July 6 and 12, August 3 and September 8. In the latest reported case, Italian authorities found “unauthorised GMO 35 S terminator in rice sticks”. The S terminator is a specific DNA sequence derived from the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens that signals the end of gene transcription in genetically modified organisms. 

Scientists use it when engineering transgenic plants. It works alongside a promoter to help plant cells properly express inserted genes.

On August 3, Italy reported the presence of GMOs in rice crackers from China, while the Netherlands said it detected GMOs in China’s hydrolysed rice flour consignments on July 6. 

In Miso paste from China, the Netherlands’ authorities found the presence of Cry1AB/AC GMO on July 12. On March 12, the Netherlands reported that its authorities detected the same Cry1AB/AC in rice noodles.  

Data show that there have been over 275 GMO food notifications against Chinese food exports by the EU between 2002–2025. There have been over 125 alert notifications for Chinese rice-based products alone between 2006 and 2025.

In comparison, there has been only one notification for the presence of GMOs in food exports from India, whose rice shipments are alleged to have GMOs this year by Beijing.

Concerning Cry1AB/AC, scientists say it is a fused or combined Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) gene construct that was first used in cotton and is now used in other crops such as rice and jute.

They said the Cry1Ab/Ac or Cry1Ab–Cry1Ac gene has been used in transgenic rice, especially in China for advanced breeding lines. Bt or GM rice was close to commercialisation in China during 2009-11.

However, large‑scale commercial cultivation has faced regulatory and policy delays. 

“China denies growing GM rice, but there have been scandals in the past when GM rice grown in scientific trials leaked into the Chinese market,” said retired USDA economist Fred Gale in his blog Dim Sums.

Unauthorised GM materials have been detected in Chinese rice-based products, and this is reported to be a leakage of the materials that were being tested.

RASFF alerts have mainly been unauthorised genetically modified rice strains, such as Bt-63, KeMingDao or Cry1Ab/Ac, found in Chinese rice noodles, vermicelli, and rice flour. 

Bt-63 or Bt Shanyou 63 is a GM rice variety developed in China and it was found to be insect‑resistant. KeMingDao, another GM rice variety, carries a synthetic cry1Ab gene from Bt. it is similar in concept to Bt‑63, targeting to overcome the stem borer menace. 

According to Gale, the uptick in Chinese rejections of GMOs from its trading partners, including India, could be related to the EU’s rejections of Chinese rice flour for containing GMOs.    

Published on September 22, 2026