A practical approach to screen for authorised and unauthorised genetically modified plants

Area of Science:

• Food science
• Biotechnology
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Real-time PCR is the standard for detecting genetically modified (GM) plant materials in food and feed.
• Existing methods may not cover the growing number of authorized and unauthorized GM events.
• A comprehensive screening approach is needed to address diverse GM plant events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a universal screening strategy for a broad range of genetically modified (GM) plant events.
• To establish a reliable method for detecting GM plant material in food and feed using real-time PCR.
• To provide an updated screening table for GM plant event detection.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a combination of five DNA target sequences for broad-spectrum GM event detection.
• Selected fully validated real-time PCR methods for targeted sequence detection.
• Verified data theoretically using public databases and experimentally with reference materials.

Main Results:

• The five-target screening approach successfully covers at least 81 distinct GM plant events.
• The method is effective for most GM events, with specific exceptions noted (e.g., maize LY038, soybean DP-305423/BPS-CV127-9, cotton 281-24-236 x 3006-210-23).
• A comprehensive screening table detailing target sequence presence/absence for listed GM plants was generated.

Conclusions:

• A universal screening approach combining five DNA targets and validated real-time PCR methods is highly effective for detecting a wide array of GM plant events.
• The developed screening table and methodology provide a valuable tool for food and feed analysis.
• Ongoing updates by German enforcement laboratories will ensure the continued relevance of the screening table.