Testing for Transgenic crops, also referred to as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), has become a necessity in light of legislation imposed in member countries of the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and in an increasing number of other countries. They established labeling laws for approved bioengineered crops, while prohibiting the import of unapproved varieties.

Two different categories of analytical methods are used to detect GMOs. One is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). It is based on the detection of genetic material (DNA). It is most versatile for detection of biotech crops and therefore the method of choice for many applications. The alternative is Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). It detects foreign protein(s) which most bioengineered crops contain as a result of the insertion of bioengineered gene(s). As compared to PCR, ELISA is more restricted in its applicability but can be very useful in certain raw commodities.

A commonly recommended or required approach is to screen for any biotech crop or material derived thereof by the detection of genetic elements that are shared between virtually all commercialized agricultural GMOs. The two best- known examples are the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) and the NOS terminator from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. These are widely used, well-characterized elements, which direct the expression of the biotechnology genes they reside in. Apart from these regions, customized gene insertions are also used for detection.

We at RAS offer both PCR and ELISA based GMO tests for various crops.