GMO detection in animal feeds: theoretical and practical aspects

Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux, the Swiss Federal Research Station for Animal Production and Dairy Products (ALP), analyses animal feeds for their content of genetically modified organisms (GMO). Since the introduction in 1999 of the declaration limits for GMO (3 % for raw materials and 2 % for mixed feeds), more than 1600 samples were drawn by the official feed inspection. The results of the analyses are pleasant, because few mixed feeds or raw materials have been contested due to their GMO content. The detection techniques have also evolved these last years. Today they are more rapid and accurate, and now a quantification of the transgenic elements is carried out routinely.