Monitoring of Infant Formula and Baby Food for the Pat and NOS Terminator of Genetically Modified Maize and Soybean by Real-time PCR in Iran

Abstract

Background: Soybean and maize are the most cultivated genetically modified (GM) plants. Because of the increase in the imports of GM products to Iran, infant formula and baby food, which is consumed by babies during their first month of life, can also contain soybean and maize. It has become fundamental to screen these types of products. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the GM corn and soybean in baby food and infant formula using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods: A total of 60 baby food and infant formulas were collected randomly from the local drugstores in Tehran. Genomic DNA was extracted from all samples, then by real-time PCR detection, tested Pat/NOS. Internal control genes zein and lectin were used for maize and soybean, respectively. Results: Results showed that 5% of infant formulas and 5% of baby food, two Iranian and one imported baby food, and two imported and one Iranian infant formula were positive for pat. However, NOS was detected in none of the samples. The results showed positive results for the presence of the pat gene in the products without an appropriate label. Conclusions: This article provides evidence of GM maize and soybean presence in baby food and infant formula in Iran.

Research Progress of Nucleic Acid Detection Technology for Genetically Modified Maize

“…Therefore, DNA detection is often the preferred method for identifying GM components of crops. In common polynucleotide detection methods, targets such as promoters (e.g., Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter [24]), terminators (e.g., the nopaline synthase terminator (T-nos) [25,26]), or marker genes (CP4-EPSPS and pat [27,28]) are usually invoked as surrogate markers for transformation. However, methods for testing the above-mentioned target genes cannot distinguish between different strains of GM crops with the same exogenous gene transferred, and the specificity is low.…”