Quality Assurance

At Genetic ID, we recognize that you rely on us for information that affects core elements of your business. Our priority, therefore, has been to design our quality control and quality assurance with analytical services of the greatest possible reliability and scientific rigor.

In developing our methods, our first objective has been accuracy and rigor—we have structured a system of controls, standards, and operational checks and balances that consistently deliver analytical results with maximal accuracy and scientific rigor. This system is designed to prevent analytical errors from occurring. Our second objective has been self-correction. We have structured into the analytical program additional controls and assessment procedures designed to detect and immediately correct any instrumental malfunctions or human errors that might occur during the process of analysis. If such a problem does occur, it will be detected during the course of the analysis, and the affected sample will be immediately subjected to re-analysis to obtain correct results.

Genetic ID has incorporated into its methods independently accredited standard operating procedures and quality control systems, along with controls. Quality control precautions include structured and systematic protocols, controls, and operational checks and redundancy to ensure against analytical or testing errors such as false positives and false negatives.

Analysis employs multiple controls and cross checks. All reference materials, reagents, and analytical instrumentation are traceable back to official reference materials. All instruments are regularly standardized and performance of all analytical personnel is regularly evaluated using internal check samples and international ring trials.

Many of Genetic ID methods are accredited to ISO 17025, the international standard for laboraratory accreditation which, in turn, virtually eliminate false positives and false negatives based on a wide array of safeguards, including the following:

Use of statistically valid sample sizes to assure minimum risk of error (pioneered the use of the largest sample sizes in the industry)
Use of proprietary Fast IDSM DNA extraction system that eliminates DNA degradation and interference by PCR inhibitors, and maximizes yield
Run tests in duplicate from beginning to end to guard against operator or equipment error
Reliance on both internal and external standards for accurate quantitative analysis
Optimize the PCR process to detect as little as one molecule of genetically modified DNA, and operating to a limit of detection of 0.01%
Use of real-time PCR to precisely quantify GMOs over a wide range of concentrations
Use of Varietal IDSM methods to specifically identify all commercialized transgenic corn, soy, potato, and canola varieties, including those not approved in Europe and Asia

Shared throughout Genetic ID’s Global Laboratory Alliance, this authoritative proprietary methodology has established a consistent, uniform, world standard of excellence and reliability in scientific GMO and DNA testing around the globe.

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