The future

The Rice Association has responded to this discovery by publishing a new code of conduct that removes the six varieties from the list of approved varieties. The code will come into force on January 1st and adds five new varieties that meet the requirements. This should allow consumers to buy basmati rice again with the confidence that it is of the highest quality.

But that’s not the end of the story. For one thing, the 7% contamination rule remains. I’ve long argued that the Rice Association should adopt the same 1% rule that applies to many products — for example, non-GMO foods. There’s no real reason for the basmati rice exception, and it’s arguably easier to enforce a 1% rule because that’s how DNA testing works.

Second, rice breeding is not standing still. Breeders are now focusing on crosses that give basmati varieties genes that require less fertilizer, are more resistant to diseases and therefore require fewer or no pesticides, and can tolerate drier growing conditions or salt-contaminated soils.

These varieties are not quite ready for the market yet, but are urgently needed to increase the sustainability of rice production. However, if such varieties are to be sold as ‘basmati’, they too will need to be monitored to ensure they meet the same high standards that consumers expect. The same goes for varieties created through genome editing, which have not yet entered the market but are likely to emerge in the next few decades.

Failure to maintain today’s standards could harm the industry – and especially the farmers who work so hard to produce this wonderful rice in the first place. It’s an interesting case study in how cutting-edge technology and the right regulations can ensure an old industry is still fit for purpose in the 21st century.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Katherine Steele has received funding for Bangor University from Defra, UKRI and the Food Standards Agency.