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Presence of unapproved GM in conventional oilseed rape trial

   

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Ref: 396/08
Date: 19 December 2008

Conventional oilseed rape seed that contained a low level of unapproved GM seed was sown at a trial site in Somerset, an investigation by Defra’s GM Inspectorate has shown.  The GM seed was of a type that is approved for import and food and animal feed use in the European Union, but not for cultivation.  No GM material has entered the food chain.

The seed harvested from this trial, and an adjacent trial of spring oil seed rape, has been identified and is now being securely stored while the GM Inspectorate continues its investigation.  None of the seed has been transported onwards to other destinations and the investigation has confirmed no other oilseed rape crops were grown in the vicinity at the time of the trial.

In September 2008 Defra was informed that a low level of genetic modification was detected in experimental seed of a new variety of winter oilseed rape entered in National List trials.  This was detected before any of the National List trials were sown but a commercial trial involving seed of the same origin had been sown in Scotland. The case in Somerset has been identified as a result of a tracing exercise carried out after this initial discovery. 

Notes to editors

  1. National Listing is a statutory requirement and prerequisite for the legal marketing of seeds of the main agricultural species. 
  2. The trial was carried out in Somerset in 2007/08. The size of the trial site was about 0.9ha, and the seed that was planted had a low level presence of the GM herbicide-tolerant oilseed rape line GT73.  Tests indicated this to be at a level of 0.05 per cent.  GT73 is authorised for imported food and animal feed use in Europe.

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Page published: 19 December 2008