We are accredited by NABL – ISO/IEC 17025 and approved by the Export Inspection Council of India GMO fro GMO testing in a number of Agricultural Products and Commodities. We have successfully participated in International Proficiency program for the detection of GMO.
Testing for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is required if you are exporting food or feed products to any of the following countries:
- European Union
- Japan
- South Korea
- Australia
- New Zealand
These countries have passed legislations calling for labeling for approved bioengineered crops and prohibiting the import of unapproved varieties. Even for the approved varieties thresholds have been laid down above which a product must be labeled as containing or being derived from GMOs.
Food and feed products that contain or are derived from GMOs must be labeled. For refined products, documentation of their conventional, non-biotech source material is needed. The labeling threshold for food products ranges from 0.9% in the European Union to 5% in Japan, 1 % in Australia and New Zealand and 3% for South Korea.
What is a genetically modified organism?
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism in which the genes or other genetic material have been modified by using in vitro (recombinant DNA) techniques. A plant, such as corn or soybean, is considered genetically modified when genetic material from outside of that organism is inserted into its DNA sequence. Plants grown from seed harvested from genetically modified plants will also contain the genetic modification.
The most common genetic modifications in crops confer an herbicide or an insect resistance to the plant such as the Bacillus thurigenesis gene (Bt). This resistance is achieved through production of a novel protein encoded by the inserted DNA sequence. In plants that are genetically modified for commercial agricultural purposes, the recombinant sections of DNA that are artificially inserted into the natural plant genome have some common genetic elements.
Each inserted DNA sequence consists of at least a promoter, a protein-coding site (the structural gene) and a terminator. A number of them have been prepared artificially which include Sugar beet, Chicory, Corn, Cotton, Flax, Melon, Papaya, Mustard, Potato, Rapeseed, Rice, Soybean, Squash, Tomato, Barley. Others like wheat are under development.
Genetically modified crops are being introduced on a large-scale. In various countries, the regulations demand that the presence and the amount of genetically modified organism be known. This also helps in the delivery of the product according to customer’s specifications.
We at ARBRO always strive to give the best possible technology at most competitive prices. We have therefore chosen the DNA based technology over the ELISA based technology which depends on assaying the protein which the inserted DNA sequence is coding for. The DNA REAL TIME PCR based technology targets the DNA of the plant as well as the DNA of the promoter which has been used to modify the plant.
The technique is virtually fool-proof, much more sensitive than ELISA based technique, has a rapid turnaround time and can be quantitative. One can therefore not only come to know whether the sample is genetically modified or not but also come to know the percentage of GMO present in the sample.
Reporting can be done as:
Qualitative GMO Analysis – Reports presence or absence of GMO, but will not quantify how much GMO is present (presently Available).
Single-Threshold GMO Analysis – Reports GMO content above or below a single threshold, for example, “greater than 1%” or “less than 1%”. Please specify one of the following thresholds: 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3% or 5%GMO.
Semi-Quantitative Analysis (multiple threshold) reports GMO content above, below, or between two or more thresholds, for example, “greater than 1%”, “less than 1% and greater than 0.1%”, or “negative at …0.1%”. Standard multiple thresholds include 0.1% and 1% GMO, 2% and 5% GMO. Grains may be tested at the thresholds 0.01% and 0.1% GMO.
By getting GMO testing the exporter benefits as it helps in:
- Meeting regulations
- Delivering product to customer contract specifications involving threshold tolerances and unapproved varieties
- Optimising sampling and testing programs to achieve efficiency in cost and operations
- Resolving conflicts in a rapid and cost-effective way.
- Offering choice to the consumer for informed decision-making
- Providing competitive advantage to manufacturers & traders
- Expanding markets both domestic and international
- Obtaining greater price realization
- Establishing brand equity and further positioning Detection of Genetically modified foods
Contact us today for testing your samples for Non GMO certification.
