Oregon Dept. of Agriculture Offers GMO Tests for Exporters

Oregon Dept. of Agriculture Offers GMO Tests for Exporters

SALEM, Ore.--The Oregon Department of Agriculture(ODA) is now offering testing for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) at acost competitive with private laboratories. "Our customers are asking forthird-party verification of any detectable level of GMOs in food products,"said John Szczepanski, ODA assistant director. ODA is now able to provide anofficial analysis and certification on whether GMOs are in an exported food.

ODA (www.oda.state.or.us)laboratories will use a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) machine for detection ofGMOs. This methodology is consistent with GMO testing performed in key Oregonexport markets such as Japan. "The nice thing about the methodology andtechnology that we use is that we can do anything from a seed to a raw commodityto a finished product," said Jim Madden, an ODA microbiologist who traveledto Japan to learn GMO detection methods. ODA hopes the new service will createnew market opportunities for U.S. food exporters.

Part of the process in establishing the certification serviceincluded joining Genetic ID's Global Laboratory Alliance. ODA was one of fourinternational labs that recently licensed Genetic ID's proprietary PCRtechnology.