The FDA retroactively approved a strain of genetically modified rice that infiltrated our supermarkets after escaping from a 2001 experiment. Six years ago, Avenits Crop Science introduced Liberty Link, a transgenic rice strain resistant to Liberty, an Aventis weed killer. The Liberty Link experiment ended abruptly when StarLink – a transgenic corn strain made by Aventis that was approved only for use in animal feed, not for human consumption – was found in Kraft taco shells. The ensuing public relations disaster led to Aventis’ sale to the German pharmaceutical company Bayer, which immediately discontinued Liberty Link’s production. Yet somehow, the transgenic rice survived…
