Validation of Korean Meat Products and Processed Cheese for the Detection of GMO using p35S and tNOS Primers

In this study, 543 samples of press hams, sausages, processed ground meat and processed cheese acquired from retail markets in Seoul and Gyeonggi province in Korea from 2005 to 2010 were monitored using a one-step multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method that involves the amplification of specific soya or maize endogenous genes and the amplification of 35S promoter (p35S) and nopaline synthase terminator (tNOS) for GMO detection. Among the 543 samples, 477 samples were amplified for maize and/or soybean endogenous genes. Although one sausage sample collected in 2008 showed amplification of tNOS, the result was assumed to be false positive based on the results from further tests of other sausage samples of the same brand. Our results demonstrate the absence of GM soya and/or maze of livestock products in the Korean market during 2005-2010. In addition, the one-step multiplex PCR using previously constructed primer sets appears to be useful as a screening method for the detection of GMOs in processed livestock products. However, more specific methods should be established and employed to detect the event-specific GM gene for positive reaction samples by screening tests in processed livestock products.