GM ingredient analysis proves to be powerful in labelling inspection

A UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) study published this week confirms that scientific testing methods are now able to identify very small amounts of GM in ingredients in some foods.

The agency reports that the tests have proved successful in identifying levels as low as 1 per cent GM content of the soya ingredient, even where the soya ingredient was only 0.3 per cent of the loaf of bread.

Tests were able to measure how much of the soya content in the baked products was of a genetically modified origin. According to the FSA​, even where 1 per cent of GM was found, this only amounted to 0.003 per cent of the whole product - equivalent to one drop in three litres of water.

Under current European law GM ingredients amounting to less than 1 per cent are not required to be labelled. But the FSA this week stressed its concern over consumer choice.

Dr Jon Bell, Director of Food Safety at the Food Standards Agency, commented: 'New methods of testing will allow the industry to ensure that labelling of GM content is accurate and provides consumers with the highest possible level of consumer choice'.​

The purpose of the recent Food Standards Agency study was to assess the performance of a technique known as Real Time PCR to measure accurately the amount of GM soya in processed foodstuffs.

The Agency tested 203 retail samples of baked goods, including bread, cakes, buns and rolls purchased from a variety of major supermarkets, medium and small retail outlets.

No GM was detected in the soya content of 85 per cent of the baked goods tested. Within the 15 per cent of samples where traces of GM were found, only three out of 203 samples were found to contain more than 1 per cent GM soya.

The FSA reported that in each of the three cases, the manufacturers concerned have been informed of the findings of the study, and have promised to take action regarding labelling of GM content.