Journal or Publishing Institution: GM Crops Food
Date of Publication: 10/01/2012
Author(s): Al-Salameen, F., Kumar, V., Al-Aqeel, H., Al-Hashash, H., and Hejji, A.B.
Article Type: Peer Reviewed Study
Abstract:
Developments in genetic engineering technology have led to an increase in number of food products that contain genetically engineered crops in the global market. However, due to lack of scientific studies, the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the Kuwaiti food market is currently ambiguous. Foods both for human and animal consumption are being imported from countries that are known to produce GM food. Therefore, an attempt has been made to screen foods sold in the Kuwaiti market to detect GMOs in the food. For this purpose, samples collected from various markets in Kuwait have been screened by SYBR green-based real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Further confirmation and GMO quantification was performed by TaqMan-based RT-PCR. Results indicated that a significant number of food commodities sold in Kuwait were tested positive for the presence of GMO. Interestingly, certain processed foods were tested positive for more than one transgenic events showing complex nature of GMOs in food samples. Results of this study clearly indicate the need for well-defined legislations and regulations on the marketing of approved GM food and its labeling to protect consumer’s rights.
Keywords: genetically modified (GM) food, GMO, Kuwait, RT-PCR, genetic modification, genetically engineered (GE), DNA, transgene
Citation:
Al-Salameen, F., Kumar, V., Al-Aqeel, H., Al-Hashash, H., and Hejji, AB., 2012. Detection of genetically modified DNA in fresh and processed foods sold in Kuwait. GM Crops Food, 3(4), pp. 283-8.
Category:
- Health effects
- Regulatory issues
Record ID: 41
