Detection and characterization of an unknown rice event in Basmati rice products

At the end of 2011, genetic modifications in Basmati rice were discovered for the first time in products placed on the European Union market. The products originated from Pakistan or India. In the EU, no event of genetically modified rice is approved as food or feed. The samples were initially identified by positive PCR screening results. Some of the detected genetically modified DNA sequences were previously identified in insect-resistant rice varieties originating from Asia. In addition to a sequence coding for a cry 1Ab/Ac gene driven by the maize ubiquitin promoter, the integration of a 35S CaMV promoter-driven cry 2A gene was detected. This is the first notification of the presence of a cry 2A gene in Asian rice products in the EU.