Screening for contamination with genetically modified organisms in food, feed and their additives obtained in retail and online shops in Latvia

Authors

  • Lelde Grantiņa-Ieviņa Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia; Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, Jelgavas 1, Riga LV–1004, Latvia
  • Guntis Boikmanis Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Karīna Ortlova Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Artjoms Mališevs Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Juris Ķibilds Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Lilija Kovaļčuka Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Elizabete Miltiņa Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Aija Jēriņa Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Jeļena Avsejenko Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Linda Laura Skrebeļa Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, 1076, Latvia; Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, Jelgavas 1, Riga LV–1004, LatLejupes 3, Riga LV–via
  • Elīza Zariņa Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Līna Kropačeva Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Evija Bebre Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes 3, Riga LV–1076, Latvia
  • Nils Rostoks Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, Jelgavas 1, Riga LV–1004, Latvia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22364/eeb.22.11

Keywords:

antimicrobial resistance genes, enzymes, fermentation products, genetically modified microorganism, genetically modified organism, live bacteria, vitamins

Abstract

The aim of the study was to screen for contamination of food and feed products with genetically modified organisms (GMO) in several sample groups obtained from retail and online shops. The total number of samples was 171, including 67 of food, 26 feed, 27 additive, and 51 samples of dried pollen for human consumption. Detection and quantification of GMO in food and feed was performed according to the approved quantitative real-time PCR methods. Fermentation product samples were analyzed using screening for antimicrobial resistance genes, 16S RNA and ITS1 sequencing, isolation of bacterial cultures and whole genome sequencing. In total, GMO contamination was found in 12 samples (in 10.45% of food and in 19.23% of feed samples). A lower proportion of GMO containing samples were from the European Union (10.26 %) vs. samples from outside (17.02%), but none with ingredients of both origins. Non-compliant were three food and five feed samples. Of the 27 samples of food and feed additives and food supplements, 10 samples were possibly non-compliant, as they contained live bacteria with antimicrobial resistance genes, and seven of them contained possibly recombinant DNA. The study indicates presence of GMO contamination that emphasizes the need for further monitoring.

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Published

2024-10-07

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 3 (2024): Environmental and Experimental Biology

Section

Original Papers

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How to Cite

Grantiņa-Ieviņa, L., Boikmanis, G., Ortlova, K., Mališevs, A., Ķibilds, J., Kovaļčuka, L., Miltiņa, E., Jēriņa, A., Avsejenko, J., Skrebeļa, L. L., Zariņa, E., Kropačeva, L., Bebre, E., & Rostoks, N. (2024). Screening for contamination with genetically modified organisms in food, feed and their additives obtained in retail and online shops in Latvia. Environmental and Experimental Biology, 22(3), 105-128. https://doi.org/10.22364/eeb.22.11