Nucleic Acid Sample Preparation for Quantitative and Qualitative GMO Analysis

Abstract

According to ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications), the acreages of GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) cultivation worldwide increased in 2012 by 3 % over 2013. The acceptance of genetically modified foods by consumers is still disputed, and concerns about their safety persist in the public opinion. Whatever their opinion, European consumers for example wish to keep their freedom of choice by having a reliable labeling of products containing GMO, above a threshold of fortuitous presence which has been defined in the EU at 0.9 % and different worldwide. GMO analysis includes several steps ranging from sampling, sample preparation, choice of fit for purpose analytical method(s), analytical procedure itself (DNA isolation, screening, and/or GMO identification and quantification), and result interpretation. One of the major steps of the procedure is the nucleic acids preparation because of the complexity of the matrixes analyzed such as food, feed, seeds, grains, or plant species. The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of the existing methods and strategies for nucleic acids sample preparation in the frame of GMO analysis along the procedure of GMO detection and quantification using different matrixes and to highlight the principal gaps and the future needs.