Worldwide, qualitative methods based on PCR are most commonly used as screening tools for genetically modified material in food and feed. However, the increasing number and diversity of genetically modified organisms (GMO) require effective methods for simultaneously detecting several genetic elements marking the presence of transgenic events. Herein we describe the development and validation o...

The genetically manipulated organism (GMO) crisis demonstrated that technological development based solely on the law of the marketplace and State protection against serious risks to health and safety is no longer a warrant of ethical acceptability. In the first part of our paper, we critique the implicitly individualist social-acceptance model for State regulation of technology and recommend a...

Knowledge Based BioEconomy [KBBE] is based mainly on taking advantages of modern, innovative technologies, including genetic engineering and biotechnology. Genetically modified products and technologies used for their production [particularly in the case of agro-food industry] raise a lot of emotions among the public. Majority of people is not oriented that: • the competitiveness of the agri-fo...

In many domains, risk assessment is a defined methodology aimed at determining and quantifying risks associated with a specific activity, including the identification and characterization of potential hazards and their probability of occurrence. It relies on the gathering and interpretation of scientific and technical data and must be carried out in a scientifically sound and transparent manner...

One of the communication tools of the EC-funded Biosafenet project is a series of six Biosafenet Seminars that will be held 2007–2009. Their purpose is to convene small groups of scientists to consider emerging issues related to the potential impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The first Seminar was organized by the ICGEB at the MasterCampus of the Fondazione Cassamarca in Ca’ Tron...

Modeling pollen dispersal to predict cross-pollination is of great importance for the ongoing discussion of adventitious presence of genetically modified material in food and feed. Two different modeling approaches for pollen dispersal were used to simulate two years of data for the rate of cross-pollination of non-GM maize (Zea mays (L.)) fields by pollen from a central 1 ha transgenic field. ...

Production and processing of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in line with the European food safety and labelling regulations lead to an elevated risk of unintentional GMO contamination in food producing and processing companies. For these companies GMO contamination can lead to extensive losses such as decreased product value, recall expenses or decreased brand equity. The question that oc...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been widely demonstrated to play fundamental roles in gene regulation in most eukaryotes. To date, there has been no study describing the miRNA composition in genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In this study, small RNAs from dry seeds of two GM soybean lines and their parental cultivars were investigated using deep sequencing technology and bioinformatic approaches. ...

In 2000, the thematic network ENTRANSFOOD was launched to assess four different topics that are all related to the testing or assessment of food containing or produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Each of the topics was linked to a European Commission (EC)-funded large shared cost action (see http://www.entransfood.com). Since the exchange of genetic information through horizonta...