Agriculture authorities in Liaoning have begun investigating allegations made by Greenpeace that genetically modified corn has entered the supply chain in the northeast China province and the nation as a whole, Caijing magazine said in a reported published yesterday.

The environmental nonprofit group said in a report released last week that 93 percent of the samples taken last year from corn fields in five counties in Liaoning tested positive for GM contamination.

Similarly, almost all of the seed samples taken from grain markets, and samples of corn-based foods at supermarkets in the area also tested positive.

The cultivation and sale of GM corn is illegal in China.

Zhang Jiang, an official with the Liaoning Rural Economy Commission, was quoted by Caijing as saying that teams are investigating the allegations.

If the claims made by Greenpeace are found to be true, the offenders will be severely punished, he said.

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