Screen baby food for GM ingredients.

Genetically modified (GM) foods have been making a big splash in the news for quite a few years. European environmental organizations and public interest groups have been protesting against GM foods. Controversial studies about the effects of GM corn pollen on Monarch butterfly caterpillars, as well as a host of other issues, have brought the issue of genetic engineering to the forefront of the public consciousness in the U.S. as well.

U.S. and European consumers are very concerned about risks derived from GM foods. Across Europe, certain legislation reflects these concerns. These laws regulate the labeling of food products containing GM materials and create a need for the widespread testing of products.

Special care must be taken with foods for infants. The research partners in one European project intend to produce a kit that would detect GM ingredients in baby food. The main focus of researchers is to develop reliable, quantitative GM screening methods for processed baby foods.

Investigators have tested two crops--maize and glycine max--that are at high risk for containing GM ingredients. In fact, most baby food that substitutes for human milk is composed of ingredients that have a high chance of containing GM material, such as glycine max proteins and maize starch. Identifying GM material is not easy. DNA is generally heavily degraded in processed foods or might be present only in traces, especially in the case of vegetable oils. Therefore, quantitative GM screening of this kind of food poses technical problems.

The testing methods under development are based on the detection of genetic sequences present in foods derived from GM plants, particularly maize and soybean products. The scientists are performing quality-controlled sampling, DNA extraction, and are purifying and identifying GM sequences.

Qualitative and quantitative procedures that are reliable and reproducible have been established by the investigators. Upon completion, the new testing techniques will make it possible to obtain fast results and could be used by a wide range of processors in Europe and elsewhere.

The scientists are about midway through the project. They have established the basic techniques, such as quality-controlled sampling, DNA extraction and amplification. Another year is needed to standardize the quantification procedures. Although the analysis methods have been developed specifically to identify the presence of GM organisms in baby food, the techniques can also be applied to other food matrices containing DNA. Each matrice has its own characteristics and consequently requires a suitable type of analysis. But a common method can be used for each one.

Further information. Marcello Gatti, Neotron SRL Ricerche Chimiche, Biochimiche E Microbiologiche, Strada Aggazzotti, 104, 41010 Santa Maria Di Mugnano, Modena, Italy; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].