Sementi e OGM: determinazione della presenza accidentale di sementi geneticamente modificate in sementi convenzionali e biologiche.

The European Union has established maximum thresholds for the accidental presence of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food and feed, but not yet in seed lots. To define such thresholds it is essential to carefully evaluate the technical feasibility and economic sustainability of their determination. The analytical process involves sampling of the seed lots, GMO detection, identification of the event, to distinguish authorized from non authorized events, and quantification. The polymerase chain reaction in its quantitative form (qPCR) is the official analytical method. Despite the great power of qPCR, several problems affect the analytical determination of GMO, related to sampling and technical limitations, that are discussed in this paper. The EU is committed to carry out projects and developing knowledge that will eventually deliver official analytical methods. When these are available it will be possible to realize the coexistence among different forms of agriculture in Europe.