The agriculture ministry said it would "judge and deal with" the matter, but a department official told the Xinhua news agency it was too early to determine if there was any truth in the allegations.

"Greenpeace has not yet made a detailed report covering the test criterion, data, methods and result, so we can't make a judgment on it," the official said.

He added an investigation of GM products in China should be conducted in line with state-approved criteria, and the test should be done by a laboratory authorized by the ministry.

The environmental watchdog Wednesday called for an urgent international product recall after uncovering the illegal release of a variety of GM rice in China.

"The genetic engineering industry is out of control," Greenpeace GM campaigner Sze Pang Cheung said in a statement.

A Greenpeace research team found unapproved GM rice being sold and grown illegally in the province of Hubei, while interviews with seed providers and farmers indicate GM rice seeds have been sold during the past two years.

It estimated at least 950 to 1,200 tons of GM rice entered the food chain after last year's harvest, and that up to 13,500 tons may enter the food chain after this year unless urgent action is taken.

Another ministry official cited by Xinhua in a seperate report said authorities in Hubei had been told "to conduct on-the-spot examination on this issue".

The official admitted field trials of GM rice were being conducted in Hubei as well in other areas. But he said the plantation acreage is limited to 30 mu (two hectares).

China is considering commercialization of GM rice and officials have indicated a decision may be made this year.

All rights reserved. © 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.