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Friday October 12, 2012

S. Korea lifts temporary ban on US rice


SEOUL - South Korea on Friday lifted a temporary ban on US rice imports and sales after tests allayed concerns of serious arsenic contamination, the agriculture ministry said.

The government had suspended the import and circulation of US rice on September 21 after US magazine Consumer Reports said it contained dangerous levels of arsenic.

A test conducted by health officials confirmed the existence of the poison, but only in miniscule amounts that posed no health risk, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said a state food watchdog would consider setting specific limits on arsenic levels in rice in the future. - AFP

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