Brussels, 15/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission confirmed on 15 September that American transgenic long grain rice LL Rice 601, which is illegal in Europe, had been found on the French market, after France, using the EU rapid alarm system, said it had detected seven positive samples out of the twelve tested. On the same day, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), at the request of the Commission, gave a partial preliminary opinion on the safety of this GMO. EFSA says that, after analysing the scientific data provided by Bayer, the producer, it is unlikely that the consumption of rice imported containing traces of LL Rice 601 poses an imminent safety concern to humans or animals. It adds, however, that the data provided was insufficient to provide a full risk assessment in accordance with EFSA's GMO guidance.