GMO / Trust Feed

Genetically Modified (GM) crops were introduced to the European market in the late 1990s. The perceived benefits were enormous: increased crop yields, improved resistance to pests and disease, reduced use of chemicals, lower cost of food production and improved quality and quantity of food and feed for a growing world population. At the same time however, politicians and the public had serious concerns about food derived from ‘unnatural’ GM crops. These included food safety, the potential impact on biodiversity and concerns related to economics and religion.

Different opinions on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) result in a wide variety of rules regarding cultivation, import and export of GM crops. In the European Union, cultivation of GM crops is prohibited, whereas it is allowed in countries such as the United States and Brazil. Import and Export of crops make it difficult to trace whether products contain GM products.

GMO legislation

In response, the European Commission (EC) introduced legislation in 2003 that requires the industry to label products containing GMOs accordingly. The EC established a 0.9% GMO threshold above which GM labeling is mandatory. This provides consumers with adequate product information so they can make informed buying decisions.

Mandatory testing across the supply chain

The EC legislation requires that these products can be traced at every stage of the supply chain. EU member states must carry out sample checks and tests to ensure compliance with regulations on GMO labeling. Each country must also impose effective penalties for infringements. Products can be withdrawn if they have unforeseen adverse effects on health or the environment.

That’s why analytical procedures are an indispensable requirement for food and feed manufacturers. TRISKELION is your knowledgeable and experienced partner for high-quality GMO analysis and advice. At our dedicated laboratories, highly-trained technicians routinely perform GMO tests using the latest qPCR equipment. Our highly specific, validated methods can detect numerous so-called GM events in raw materials and food matrices like soy, corn and rapeseed. They can also detect the presence of transgenic DNA in a wide range of ingredients including protein isolates, lecithin, starch, syrup and oil.

Trustworthy results

GMO testing at TRISKELION is not only accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 (L546) but also meets the strict standards laid out by VLOG in Germany. Our customers regularly consult us on export within Europe and we also provide support with the latest issues concerning export to Russia. We can perform tests with short turnaround times, helping you save money on storage and reducing potential delays in the delivery of your products. Test results are presented in a report format, and an expert is always available to answer questions about the analytical methods, regulations and test results.