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Quantitation of genetically modified organisms in food

Nature Biotechnology volume 17, pages 1137–1138 (1999)Cite this article

The qualitative 35S-PCR detection system has been thoroughly tested in collaborative studies; however, its detection limit was found to vary up to a factor of 20 (from 100 pg to 2 ng RRS-DNA) between different analytical laboratories. Additionally, due to its high sensitivity, the 35S-PCR detection system is not suited to distinguish between intended GMO mixtures and GMO comingling due to unseparated channels for conventional and GMO raw materials during harvest, transport, and stocking.

In practice, the 35S-PCR test allows the detection of GMO contents of foods and raw materials in the range of 0.01–0.1%. Attempts have been made to diminish the interlaboratory variations by the standardization of the PCR protocol4, by the use of certified external reference material with well-defined amounts of GMOs5, and by the development of quantitative PCR detection systems6,7.

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Figure 1: Procedure for GMO testing of food.
Figure 2: Determination of GMO contents as a percentage (X) of food samples by QC-PCR in a collaborative study.
Figure 3: Influence of food processing on DNA quality as assessed by QC-PCR. Different commercial food ingredients were subjected to duplicate DNA extractions (A and B) followed by soya-specific QC-PCR.

References

  1. Swiss Food Ordinance (Schweizerische Lebensmittelverordnung). Vol. SR 817.02. (Eidgenössische Drucksachen- und Materialzentrale Bern; 1995).

  2. Official Journal of the European Communities L 43, 1–7 (1997).

  3. Official Journal of the European Communities L 159, 4–7 (1998).

  4. Swiss Food Manual (Schweizerisches Lebensmittelbuch). (eds Bundesamt für Gesundheit) (Eidgenössische Drucksachen- und Materialzentrale, Bern.

  5. Certified GMO Standards RR Soya, Bt-176 "Maximizer" Maize, Bt-11 Maize. (Fluka Chemie AG, CH-9471 Buchs).

  6. Studer, E. et al. Z. Lebens. Unters. Forsch. 207, 207–213 (1998).

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  7. Hardegger, M. et al. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 209, 83–87 (1999).

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  9. GMO soya test kit. (Strategic Diagnostic Inc., Newark, DE).

  10. SCF 1999: Opinion SCF/CS/NF/LABEL/13 Rev. 4 (expressed on June 17, 1999).

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the members of the Swiss Food Manual subcommission 29a (Albert Eugster, Peter Brodmann, Ulrich Vögeli, Jürg Ruf, Urs Pauli, Wolfram Hemmer, Jean-Yves Deru, Rolf Meyer, Jürg Rentsch, and Anita Pfefferkorn) for discussions, suggestions, and their participation in the ring test together with Andreas Wurz (Gene-Scan GmbH, Freiburg, Germany) and Frederik Janssen (Food Inspection Service, Zutphen, The Netherlands).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. scientist at the official food control authority of the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland

    Philipp Hübner

  2. scientist and Jürg Lüthy is a group leader at the University of Bern, Switzerland

    Edgar Studer & Jürg Lüthy

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  1. Philipp Hübner
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  2. Edgar Studer
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  3. Jürg Lüthy
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Correspondence to Philipp Hübner.

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Hübner, P., Studer, E. & Lüthy, J. Quantitation of genetically modified organisms in food. Nat Biotechnol 17, 1137–1138 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/15129

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