GMO Testing

The DNA/GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) Laboratory specializes in the testing of food and feed products for the presence of genetically modified traits, and offers additional expertise in commodities destined for Asian markets. In addition to GMO testing, our service offerings include detection of pathogenic microorganisms by real-time PCR, rice variety identification, and food allergen testing. We verify the accuracy and reliability of GMO testing methods by regularly participating in various national and international proficiency programs. Our quality effort begin at the sample preparation stage, where each step of the preparation process is closely monitored to prevent cross-contamination that could compromise test results, and all sample analysis procedures are traceable through our comprehensive laboratory information management system (LIMS).

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular biology technique for exponentially amplifying a fragment of DNA, via enzymatic replication, without using a living organism. It enables the detection of specific strands of DNA by making millions of copies of a target genetic sequence. The target sequence is essentially photocopied at an exponential rate, and simple visualization techniques can make the millions of copies easy to see.