CORESTA Task Force GM Tobacco Detection Methods

SUMMARY The advent of modern biotechnology and the accelerated pace of scientific discovery in the areas of genetic modification (GM) and genomics are introducing fruitful developments in both the medical and agricultural sciences. However, the presence of genetically modified crops in food products has recently become a widely debated and contentious issue in Europe and other regions. Despite the substantial growth of the global GM crop area to 40 million hectares (as of 1999), public concern is being increasingly raised with regard to the potential impact of the technology. To respond to consumer preferences, Identity Preservation (IP) programs that can ensure traceability and segregation of GM crops are gradually being implemented for certain sectors of commodity crops (e.g., soybean and corn). Moreover, in many countries legislation has been introduced that mandates the labeling of food which contains or has been produced from a genetically modified organisms (GMO). Reliable tests are therefore being developed to identify transgenic materials in food by the detection of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and proteins. Although applications of biotechnology to tobacco and other Nicotiana species have been limited to the use of this plant as a model system and the evaluation of traits in field experiments, there are examples where new GM tobacco varieties have been developed and are awaiting approval before commercialization. Analytical methods that can detect genetic modification in tobacco are being developed in several laboratories. During 1998, the CORESTA Scientific Commission has held discussions on this subject and recommended the creation of the Task Force Genetically Modified Tobacco-Detection Methods, which was officially inaugurated in December 1998 with the following mandate (quoted in the original wording): ! Review methods for detecting genetically modified tobacco (including cured leaf, tobacco products, plants and seed); ! Propose principles for sampling procedures. Accordingly, the Task Force has thoroughly investigated these issues and has prepared a report, which reviews the recent scientific literature in the area of GM crop analysis. Eight Sections and three appendices provide details on the scientific and technical aspects of methodologies that can detect the presence of introduced DNA or novel proteins in a tobacco plant, and on sampling principles. After the Introduction (Section I), the review starts with Section II on Sampling Strategies and Methods, which summarizes the main steps of a sampling plan and includes a brief glossary of terms that are frequently used in describing sampling procedures. ISO standards and practical approaches with …