Global Leader in
GMO Identification

Varietal ID Tests

Main Points

  • GMO varieties may be approved in one market, but not in another;
  • Varietal ID detects specific varieties of GMO crops;
  • Varietal ID can be used to detect all commercially available corn varieties;
  • Varietal ID can reduce risk and reduce testing costs significantly.

Varietal ID is a form of GMO testing used to detect and quantify specific varieties of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Zero Tolerance and the Risk of Recall

The GMO issue poses many challenges to international trade. None is more serious than the “zero tolerance” regulations in Europe and Japan, which exclude certain GMO crop varieties.

These crops have not been approved for human food use in Europe, Japan, and other countries, yet they have been approved and commercialized in the United States and elsewhere. This creates significant risk, since any product found to contain even a trace of an unapproved GMO variety can be refused or subject to recall.

The Varietal ID Solution

To help companies manage these risks, Genetic ID, has developed unique and proprietary Varietal IDSM tests. They are precise, definitive, and cost-effective which are designed to specifically detect and quantify GMO varieties that are not approved in a particular country or region.

Because issues of approval most commonly arise with corn (maize), Genetic ID first developed Varietal ID tests to identify all GMO corn varieties. However, Varietal ID tests are under development for oil-seed rape (canola), and we can design Varietal ID tests to detect other GMO crops to meet your needs.

How Varietal ID Works

Compared to broad spectrum GMO tests, Varietal ID tests are considerably more complex and time-consuming; they require a high level of knowledge and expertise. Varietal ID must identify the specific unapproved varieties of a transgenic that might be present in a sample. To develop such tests Genetic ID scientists must obtain much more detailed knowledge of the genetic structure for each GMO. Only then can they devise primer sets that can definitively distinguish a given GMO from all others. In many cases it is necessary to use multiple primer sets and carry out multiple PCR test runs.

Two types of Varietal ID

Genetic ID offers two fundamental types of Varietal ID for corn.

  • Worldwide Varietal ID: The Worldwide test can detect all the GMO varieties of corn that have been approved by governments in North and South America. At this time, this list covers virtually all GMO corn varieties approved to date around the world. However, many of these varieties have not been approved for human consumption in other regions of the world. This test is particularly useful when a seller is not sure which country will be the final destination for the product, and desires access to the widest possible market. This test can also be used to rule out particular markets (i.e., if the product is found to contain a variety unapproved in one particular nation or region then it can be sent elsewhere).
  • Region-Specific Varietal ID: The Region-Specific test can detect those GM varieties that are not approved in one specific nation or region. Using this more economical test, buyers and sellers can determine if a product is suitable for a particular target market.

Two options for each type of Varietal ID Test

Both Worldwide Varietal ID and Region-Specific Varietal ID are available in two configurations:

  • All Varieties: This configuration identifies all GM corn varieties that have been approved for production in some nations, irrespective of whether they have been approved elsewhere. This includes both varieties that have been commercialized widely, as well as those that have been approved but have not actually been widely commercialized. This test can be done either on a region-specific or a world-wide basis.
    This configuration provides maximum coverage, even screening for trace amounts of non-commercialized varieties that may have found their way into the grain supply.
  • Commercialized Varieties Only: When you choose this option, both the Worldwide and the Region-Specific tests limit their detection to only those GM varieties that have been widely grown commercially. Although not as comprehensive as the All Varieties option, the Commercialized Varieties Only option offers a more economical test for the varieties most likely to be present.

GMO screening saves you money

To save you money, Varietal ID is carried out in a two-phase process. First, we determine if there are any GMOs in your sample. Second, if GMOs are detected in the sample, we continue testing to identify specifically which GMOs are present. When the sample does contain GMOs, the test you ordered will be run to completion. When no GMOs are detected, the second phase is cancelled and you will be billed only for the GMO detection test, thus saving you time and money.

How to get started?

Give us a call at 1.877-366-0790 (Toll Free USA/Canada), or +1.641.472.9979. Our email address is info@genetic-id.com.

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