Presence Of Genetically Modified Organisms Research Articles

Electroactive nanocarbon materials as signaling tags for electrochemical PCR

Electrochemical polymerase chain reaction (PCR) represents a valid alternative to the optical-based PCR due to reduced costs of signaling labels, use of simpler instrumentation, and possibility of miniaturization and portability of the systems, which can facilitate decentralized detection. The high intrinsic electroactivity and strong linear relationship between the material concentration and its redox signal suggest a possible use of oxidized nanocarbon materials as electroactive tags for PCR. Herein, we compared three different nanographene oxide materials namely nGO-1, nGO-2 and nGO-3 as signaling tags for the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMO) by electrochemical PCR. The three materials differ in size, chemical composition as well as type and amount of oxygen functionalities verified by extensive characterization with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical methods. A sense primer sequence belonging to the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S promoter (a common genetic marker for GMO screening) was used to conjugate to the nanocarbon materials by carbodiimide chemistry before PCR amplification with a biotinylated antisense strand. Finally, the amplified electroactive PCR product was detected, where the reduction signal derived from the electrochemically reducible oxygenated functionalities on the nanocarbon material surface was directly correlated to the presence of GMO. Overall, we were able to correlate the different material characteristics with their performance as electroactive labels and identify the nanocarbon material that exhibits the highest potential to be used as innovative electroactive label for PCR in the amplification and detection of the selected target sequence.

English

The increasing presence of food and feed products derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO) has led to the development of detection methods that distinguish between foods derived from biotechnology and conventional foods. Many countries have implemented the Regulations for GM products labelling, therefore the need of establish reliable and accurate detection methods for GMO in raw materials and food products. The aim of the present study was to screen foods sold in the selected Mozambican markets for the presence of GMOs. Out of 47 samples analysed, 22 (46%) were positive either for 35S promoter or t-NOS terminator. Results of the event-specific analysis indicated the presence of RRS, Mon863 and TC1507 in 8, 6 and 1 sample respectively. None of the positive samples had a GM label. This study demonstrates for the first time, as far as we know, the presence of GM food products circulating in Mozambican markets, therefore strengthening the need for establish of labelling system and quantitative methods in routine analyses, to ensure compliance with existing regulations.   Key words: Genetically modified organisms, roundup ready soybean, P35S, food.

Applicability of a General Analytical Approach for Detection of Genetically Modified Organisms: Collaborative Trial.

With the commercialization of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the market, laboratories have undergone a significantly increased workload. A universal analytical approach was designed to achieve cost-efficient and high-throughput GMOs screening with high specificity and accuracy. The approach provides accurate qualification of authorized and unauthorized GMOs. This article describes the assessment of this analytical approach developed to detect the majority of commercialized GMOs over the world. Seven elements and three events were detected by qPCR in a single laboratory to detect 59 commercialized GMOs. Certificated reference materials and food/feed samples from the Chinese market were also evaluated for the specificity, conformity, and robustness of this approach and were challenged in the interlaboratory study. The results showed that elements and events selected can best detect GMO presence with good specificity and sensitivity. The results showed a concordance between 97.5 and 99.56% and the variance between 0.65 and 12.88%, which is in line with the minimum requirement of analytical methods of GMO testing. The approach validated here can be used to manipulate GMO presence in food and feed and showed the capacity to manipulate GMO trace in the trade and domestic agriculture market in China. A universal analytical approach used to track GMO presence was evaluated for its specificity, sensitivity, and robustness.

GMO analysis technique based on PCR and real-time PCR methods

The use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is promising for overcoming the shortage of food products in the world and solving the problem of hunger arising in various regions. At the same time, the use of GMOs has become a cause of debate, as the safety of consuming GMO products for human health remains unproven. The risks associated with GMOs cause public concern, which has led to the restriction of the use of GMOs and their products in many countries and the need for constant control of their content in food products. This study describes methods based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), such as Real-time PCR and PCR with electrophoretic separation of amplificates, which are generally accepted in GMO analysis. In order to control the presence of GMOs in food raw materials, feed and finished products of plant and animal origin, screening is carried out for the presence of the most common genetic engineering structures used during the creation of GMOs: CaMV 35S promoter and NOS terminator. Both Real-time PCR and PCR with electrophoretic separation of amplificates allow to establish the presence of GMOs with high accuracy, and Real-time PCR is also used to determine the concentration of GMOs in the studied samples. The work presents a typical electrophoresis with visualization of the obtained PCR fragments that required electrophoretic separation and fragments that were synthesized in the Real-time PCR reaction, and determined the approximate sizes of the obtained fragments relative to the pBR322 DNA-MspI molecular weight marker. The approach described in this study, based on the use of PCR techniques, can be successfully used for GMO analysis of all groups of raw materials and finished products of animal and plant origin, and is also well adapted for the detection of various genetic engineering structures, not limited to the CaMV 35S promoter and terminator NOS, which makes it possible to increase the efficiency of such analysis and continue its application in relation to new genetic engineering structures used during the creation of GMOs. Keywords: genetically modified organisms (GMOs), PCR methods, GMO analysis, raw materials and finished products of plant and animal origin

Distinguishing cotton seed genotypes by means of vibrational spectroscopic methods (NIR and Raman) and chemometrics

The use of vibrational spectroscopy, such as near infrared (NIR) and Raman, combined with multivariate analysis methods to analyze agricultural products are promising for investigating genetically modified organisms (GMO). In Brazil, cotton is grown under humid tropical conditions and is highly affected by pests and diseases, requiring the use of large amounts of phytosanitary chemicals. To avoid the use of those pesticides, genetic improvement can be carried out to produce species tolerant to herbicides, resistant to fungi and insects, or even to provide greater productivity and better quality. Even with these advantages, it is necessary to manage and limit the contact of transgenic species with native ones, avoiding possible contamination or even extinction of conventional species. The identification of the presence of GMOs is based on complex DNA-based analysis, which is usually laborious, expensive, time-consuming, destructive, and generally unavailable. In the present study, a new methodology to identify GMOs using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) on NIR and Raman data is proposed to distinguish conventional and transgenic cotton seed genotypes, providing classification errors for prediction set of 2.23% for NIR and 0.0% for Raman.

Current status and detection of genetically modified organism

Production of genetically modified (GM) crops is currently concentrated in just a few countries. In 2001, 99% of GM crops was produced in four countries: US 68%, Argentina 11.8%, Canada 6% and China 3%. Crop-wise, GM soybean made up 63% of global GM planting area and GM corn accounts for 19%, followed by GM cotton (13%) and GM canola (5%). In terms of the global planting area, GM soybean and cotton accounted for 46% and 20%, respectively. Two major genetically modified organisms (GMO) traits in 2001 were herbicide tolerant crops, accounted for 77% of all GM crops, while Bt maize accounted for 11%. Legislation enacted worldwide to regulate the presence of GMOs in crops, foods and ingredients, necessitated the development of reliable and sensitive methods for GMO detection. In this article, protein-, and DNA-based methods employing western blots, enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, lateral flow strips, Southern blots, qualitative-, quantitative-, real-time- and limiting dilution-PCR methods, are discussed. Where information on modified gene sequences is not available, new approaches, such as near-infrared spectrometry, might tackle the problem of detection of non-approved genetically modified (GM) foods. The efficiency of screening, identification and confirmation strategies should be examined with respect to false-positive rates, disappearance of marker genes, increased use of specific regulator sequences and the increasing number of GM foods.

Effects of GMO Agricultural Products on Living Things

By obtaining changes on gene sequences of living things with the applied biotechnological methods; The idea of "Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)", which aims to bring the living creature in question the original gene combinations with the desired characteristics, came to life in the late twentieth century. Despite the high probability that hunger problems may increase with the increasing world population; It is thought that plant breeding with classical farming methods will be insufficient in solving these problems. With various GMO applications developed all over the world, it aims to produce solutions to these problems. With the presence of GMO, it was possible to increase the shelf life of qualitative and quantitative values of the existing foods. In addition, decreases in agricultural use of pesticides used in agricultural struggle and threatening human health with GMO production are noteworthy. However, some concerns about anomalies that may occur in living things fed GMO products remain on the agenda. Because, in the long term, there is no clear and precise information that GMO will not have negative effects on living things; There are many recorded incidents showing their negative effects.

Sustainable Perspective in Public Educational Institutions Restaurants: From Foodstuffs Purchase to Meal Offer

This study aimed to evaluate aspects of sustainable nutrition in Public Educational Institutions Restaurants (PEIR) in a Brazilian state. Cross-sectional descriptive research was conducted in six PEIR. Purchased foodstuffs for a one-month period were investigated from the perspective of their origin (place of production), processing degree and nutritional profile. The presence of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in packaged foodstuffs was also evaluated. Regarding served meals, a four-week period was evaluated in each PEIR considering the Water Footprint (WF) and the nutrient composition of the lunch meals. Results showed that 31.6% of foodstuffs purchased in the period evaluated were from national origin. Analysis of the processing degree of food purchased showed 64.8% unprocessed or minimally processed foods. However, 60.8% of the foodstuffs purchased in a one-month period presented sodium excess, 46.9% had an excess of saturated fat and 40.1% contained an excess of free sugar. The presence of GMO was observed in 9.2% of packed foods. The meals showed a per capita WF average of 2165.8 liters, an energy supply of 834.6 kcal and 1,289.6 mg of sodium per meal served. Foodstuff purchase and menu planning are essential steps towards achieving sustainable meal production and the results showed that foodstuffs purchased in institutional restaurants during the evaluated period was not in line with the precepts of a healthy and sustainable diet. Studies that assess the impact of meal production on the different dimensions of sustainable nutrition are essential to better understand this complex production process.

A convenient renewable surface plasmon resonance chip for relative quantification of genetically modified soybean in food and feed.

The cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMO) continues to expand worldwide. Still, many consumers express concerns about the use of GMO in food or feed, and many countries have legislated on labelling systems to indicate the presence of GMO in commercial products. To deal with the increased number of GMO events and to address related regulations, alternative detection methods for GMO inspection are required. In this work, a genosensor based on Surface Plasmon Resonance under continuous flow was developed for the detection and quantification of a genetically modified soybean (event GTS 40-3-2). In a single chip, the simultaneous detection of the event-specific and the taxon-specific samples were achieved, whose detection limits were 20 pM and 16 pM, respectively. The reproducibility was 1.4%, which supports the use of the chip as a reliable and cost-effective alternative to other DNA-based techniques. The results indicate that the proposed method is a versatile tool for GMO quantification in food and feed samples.

Genetiği Değiştirilmiş Organizmaların Tespiti ve Ölçümünde Kullanılan Farklı Gerçek Zamanlı PCR Kimyasallarının Karşılaştırılması

Gerçek zamanlı kantitatif polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu (q-PCR), hem gen ekspresyonu analizinde hem de rutin Deoksiribo Nükleik Asit (DNA) ölçümünde nükleik asit miktarının belirlenmesi için kullanılan ileri moleküler bir yöntemdir. Gıda ve yem ürünlerinde genetiği değiştirilmiş organizma (GDO) kalıntıları için etiketleme eşiğinin Japonya‘da %5, Avrupa Birliği‘nde ise %0,9 olduğu göz önüne alındığında, doğru bir ölçüm metodu şarttır. GDO bileşenlerinin tespiti, kesin miktar tayini ve besin matrislerinde eser miktardaki kalıntısının tespit edilmesi q-PCR‘da mümkündür. Bu amaçla çeşitli q-PCR kimyasalları kullanılmaktadır. Bunlar; interkalasyon boyaları, primer bazlı kimyasallar ve prob bazlı kimyasallar olarak üç gruba ayrılmaktadır. Marketlerde GDO ürünlerinin artan sayısıyla birlikte, her örnek için gerçekleştirilen analiz sayısı ve bu nedenle analiz maliyetleri artmaktadır. Bunun için GDO çalışmalarında, GDO‘ların varlığının miktarını belirlemede hızlı ve ekonomik olan uygulanabilir taramalar yapılabilmesi için geliştirilmiş tespit yöntemlerine ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, q-PCR kimyaları ekonomikliği, verimliliği ve uygulanabilirliği açısından karşılaştırılmıştır.

Zea maize reference materials for genetically modified organism detection in Mexico.

Zea maize reference materials for genetically modified organism detection in Mexico.

Surveying genetically modified maize in foods marketed in Algeria

Despite the prohibition of the importation, production, distribution, marketing and use of genetically modified (GM) plants in Algeria, no legislation regarding their use in food and feed production has been established. The present work describes, for the first time, a full-stage study to monitor genetically modified organisms (GMO) in Algeria, based on a comprehensive survey of maize-derived foods, providing screening, event-specific identification and quantitative data targeting 11 maize events (Bt176, Bt11, MON810, GA21, NK603, MON863, TC1507, MIR604, DAS59122, 3272 and DAS40278). The results show that, out of 91 maize-derived samples positive for an endogenous maize gene, 20% contained at least one screening GM element. Six events were identified in 16 samples, being MON810, NK603 and TC1507 the most frequent (16%, 15% and 14% of the samples, respectively), followed by GA21, Bt11 and DAS59122 (7.6%, 6.6% and 2.2%, respectively). Interestingly, out of those samples, 14 had 3–5 GM events, while only 2 had one or 2 events. The quantitative real-time PCR results show very high levels of GM maize events in all samples resultant from the multiple-event accounting (34.9–222.7%), suggesting the presence of stacked events, together with single-trait ones. These findings highlight the need for specific labelling legislation regarding the GMO presence in food and the verification of its compliance.

Genetic Engineering and Human Mental Ecology: Interlocking Effects and Educational Considerations

This paper describes some likely semiotic consequences of genetic engineering on what Gregory Bateson has called “the mental ecology” (1979) of future humans, consequences that are less often raised in discussions surrounding the safety of GMOs (genetically modified organisms). The effects are as follows: an increased 1) habituation to the presence of GMOs in the environment, 2) normalization of empirically false assumptions grounding genetic reductionism, 3) acceptance that humans are capable and entitled to decide what constitutes an evolutionary improvement for a species, 4) perception that the main source of creativity and problem solving in the biosphere is anthropogenic. Though there are some tensions between them, these effects tend to produce self-validating webs of ideas, actions, and environments, which may reinforce destructive habits of thought. Humans are unlikely to safely develop genetic technologies without confronting these escalating processes directly. Intervening in this mental ecology presents distinct challenges for educators, as will be discussed.

КОНТРОЛЬ ГЕНЕТИЧНО МОДИФІКОВАНИХ РОСЛИН – ГАРАНТІЯ ПРОДОВОЛЬЧОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ

One of the problems in formation of mechanisms of development of environmentally safe environment is the proliferation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The use of genetic engineering in agriculture, food and agricultural industry have created the new opportunities for manufacturing the food and feed for meet the ever growing needs of the world's population. However, the opinions of scientists about the benefits and risks of genetic engineering is different. So today is particularly acute issue unpredictable consequences and danger for human health and the environment which are connected with GMO.The article present the results of determination of genetically modified organisms in plant material for the period 2013 – 2015 years, from the farms of different ownership forms. Analysis of the conducted research indicates on the circulation in farms of Lviv region transgenic plants.Found that the most common genetically modified plants were maize, soya and rape. The research of plant material on the presence of GMOs was performed by polymerase chain reaction in real time (PCR RF) by setting in them target sequences of promoter 35S virus of cauliflower mosaic (CaMV), promoter of FMV and (or) terminator NOS (T–NOS) T1 plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pat, EPSPS, Cry 3A, and determined species identification of positive samples. The use of PCR–RF allows quickly and qualitatively detect the GMO in the research samples. In 2013, the percentage of positive samples was 3.9% of the total, in 2014 – 2.3% and in 2015 – 3.3%. It is therefore necessary to monitor the vegetable raw and seed material on the presence of genetically modified organisms, to monitor the situation on GMO in Ukraine, because the problem of biosafety and the evaluation of the potential risks from their use is not studied.

Impacts of non-GMO standards on poultry supply chain governance: transaction cost approach vs resource-based view

PurposeFollowing a negative attitude of consumers toward genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the spaces left by the labeling legislation on GMOs of different countries, some retailers and processors introduced their own non-GMO standards, with the intention of avoiding the presence of GMOs in their products. This paper aims to understand how the implementation of these new retailer-driven standards affects governance structures along the supply chain and the determinants of such change focusing on transaction cost approach (TCA) vs resource-based view (RBV).Design/methodology/approachThe non-GMO introduction is investigated as a case study in the poultry industry of France and Italy. The case relies on data primarily collected from interviews with the main actors at five stages of the supply chain from the retailer up to animal feed and crop production.FindingsFindings indicate that the introduction of non-GMO products had different impacts on the transactions along the supply chain, generally leading to more integrated relationships. Theoretical relevance depends on the observed transaction and the type of governance structure considered. Interestingly, only RBV explains the shift toward hierarchical governance when this is observed.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the empirical literature highlighting the upstream effects caused by the adoption of new standards. On the theoretical side, building on Conner and Prahalad’s (1996) seminal work and leveraging on the concepts of opportunism, “potential” superior knowledge and strategic importance of an activity, this research suggests a comparative framework for identifying governance structures and their determinants under TCA and RBV.

SIGMO: A decision support System for Identification of genetically modified food or feed products

Since their introduction in 1994, more and more genetically modified (GM) crops are grown worldwide and introduced in food or feed products. In the European Union (EU), the production, trade and marketing of GM products is strictly regulated, but the situation is becoming more complex due to the increasing number and complexity of GM crops, and asynchronic approval procedures with the major GM crop producing countries. Importers and traders are obliged to assess their respective supply chains for the potential presence of authorised and unauthorised GM organisms (GMOs), where wrong decisions may lead to substantial economic losses. This article presents a decision support system SIGMO aimed at guiding producers and traders with the assessment of the likelihood that their products may comprise authorised or unauthorised GM materials. The assessment is based on traceability data about the product (nature and origin of the raw materials, transportation aspects), as well as analytical results of the presence of GMOs in the final product or its ingredients. The approach uses a combination of data-driven and model-driven decision support. SIGMO is composed of (1) a data base providing data about GMO crop species produced and approved in counties worldwide, (2) a multi-attribute model for the assessment of GMO presence in food/feed products, and (3) an on-line user interface. SIGMO helps producers and traders to better comply to valid EU GMO regulations and to better control their products and supply chains in terms of the unintended presence of (unauthorised) GMOs in a cost-effective way.

Regulation of Genetically Modified Food Use in the Russian Federation

Practical application of new methods of а plant genome transformation resulted in the need for strict regulation of the safety assessment process of genetically modified organisms of plant origin, intended for use in food. The devise of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) of plant origin safety assessment system, which is currently valid in the Russian Federation, was initiated in 1995-1996. Not only does the system accumulate all domestic and foreign experience, it also includes the latest scientific approaches, based on achievements of fundamental science. In the present article authors focused on issues of the basic legislative regulations of plant biotechnology in the Russian Federation, and approaches to the safety assessment of GM food and control over such food. GMO safety assessment is carried out at the stage of State registration. The subject of registration is novel food products derived from GMO, manufactured in the Russian Federation, as well as food products, entering the Russian Federation for the first time. In the system of medical and biological assessment of the GMO safety, along with general toxicological research, the study of specific types of toxicity in in vivo experiments takes a prominent place. In accordance with established research practice, which uses an integrated approach, and provides with the most complete and reliable information on potential reprotoxic, genotoxic, immunotoxic and allergenic effects of GMO, as well as enables to reveal possible unintended effects of genetic modification. From 1999 to 2016 22 GM lines passed the entire cycle of medical-biological investigations. By 2016 there had been amassed scientific foundation on GMO safety, which includes the analysis of result of research, carried out within the framework of GMO state registration in the Russian Federation, as well as domestic and international data, presented by scientific literature on the problem of biotechnological food safety, at both registration stage and post-registration monitoring stage. To sum up, in the Russian Federation the most essential issues, allowing to use GMO for food purpose have been resolved: 1) legislation, normative and methodical foundations, regulating safety assessment and control over GMO turnover, as well as ensuring customer awareness about presence of GMO in food products, have been created; 2) scientifically proven evidence on the lack of negative effects for human health, i.e. GMO safety has been amassed; 3) the possibility of control over GMO turnover throughout the food market of the country has been sustained.

Transgênicos: a visão de alunos do ensino fundamental de uma escola do município de Jaciara-MT sobre os alimentos geneticamente modificados

Este trabalho foi realizado com o intuito de sensibilizar e informar os alunos do Ensino fundamental da Escola Estadual Santo Antônio, localizada na cidade de Jaciara-MT, sobre os organismos geneticamente modificados (OGMs) ou simplesmente, os transgênicos. Para isso, mostrou-se aos educandos a presença dos transgênicos na vida cotidiana das pessoas, principalmente na alimentação. Dentro deste contexto, explicou-se os conceitos relacionados ao assunto, tais como o entendimento sobre a estrutura do DNA (ácido desoxirribonucleico) e transgenia. Buscou-se o entendimento do assunto por meio de aulas expositivas e dialogadas, onde foram aplicados questionários, com o objetivo de avaliar o conhecimento prévio dos alunos. Também foram realizadas atividades lúdicas (como jogos de quebra-cabeça, cartas e montagens) e práticas (extração do DNA da cebola). Vale ressaltar que em cada atividade, eram abertos os debates, verificando a sensação e reação dos discentes, analisando o nível de aprendizagem. Como resultado, percebeu-se que a inserção a atividades práticas, lúdicas e dinâmicas, torna o aprendizado mais eficiente e prazeroso, fazendo com que o momento da aula seja melhor aproveitado, evidenciando a obtenção de resultados satisfatórios dentro do ensino de Ciências, e quais as vantagens de trabalhá-las na Educação Básica.

One-Door-One-Key Principle: Observations Regarding Integration of GM Authorization Procedures in the EU

Under European Union (EU) law, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for consumption require authorizations for cultivation, for use in human food, and for use in animal feed. The recast of the legislative framework in 2003 introduced the “one-door-one-key principle.” This principle links and integrates the procedures to acquire these three authorizations partly in a mandatory and partly in an optional manner. Even though the EU legislature perceives the three authorizations as intrinsically linked, in practice considerable differences can be observed in the presence of GMOs on the EU market for cultivation, for feed use, and for food use. Partly these differences are reflected in differences in authorization.This paper traces the one-door-one-key principle in EU GMO food law; its content is an application. Based on literature and a few interviews, it attempts to explain the gap between legal theory and business practice.

Inter-laboratory Testing of GMO Detection by Combinatory SYBR®Green PCR Screening (CoSYPS)

Combinatory SYBR®Green real-time PCR Screening (CoSYPS) is an efficient, sensitive approach for detecting complex targets such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and feed products. GMO analysis for legal purposes has become increasingly complex and costly due to the diversity in recombinant targets present in the different GMOs. For this reason, screening for the presence of GMOs is in general the first step in the detection of GM material in a product. CoSYPS allows detecting the large majority of globally commercial GMOs using SYBR®Green real-time PCR methods for six GM targets (P35S, Tnos, CryIAb, CP4-EPSPS, PAT and BAR) combined with species-specific PCR methods (e.g., maize, soy, rapeseed). Here, the results of an inter-laboratory trial on seven samples with different GMO mixtures at different levels are presented. In total, 13 laboratories participated in the trial and the currently most frequently used PCR analysis platforms are represented. The inter-laboratory study clearly demonstrates that PCR methods used in CoSYPS form a very robust GMO screening system. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values are for all PCR methods higher than 95 % for all samples. Together, these results show that the SYBR®Green real-time PCR methods used in CoSYPS are effectively applicable to different PCR platforms and amendable to configuration into a sensitive high-throughput GMO screening and decision support tool.