Analytical methods for detecting genetically modified organisms in food: rules, theoretical basis and critical points

Many genetically modified organisms (GMOs), included many vegetables, have already been set up. Some of them were already released on market and other are waiting for authorization. Since the EC rules require a different labelling and the Italian rules forbid the presence of GMOs in infant food, it is necessary to verify the presence of genetically modified semiprocessed material in food by adequate analysis. In this note legislative and technical aspects dealing with production of GMOs are discussed and the theoretical basis of methods for GMO detection in food are described, with particular regard to methods based on DNA analysis via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Methods up to now proposed for qualitative and quantitative assays are reviewed and their critical points regarding the applicability after complex industrial processing, the sampling methodologies and the method sensitivity, are discussed.