PCR-based detection of genetically modified soybean and maize in raw and highly processed foodstuffs

The PCR method has proved to be an invaluable tool for the specific and sen sitive detection of genetically modified material (e.g., Roundup Ready Im S oybean and Bt-176 "Maximizer" Maize) in foodstuffs. The first step in the p rocedure, namely the purification of nucleic acids from the sample, is ofte n the deciding factor in the production of meaningful results. In this stud y, we present two procedures that enable an efficient isolation of trace am ounts of genetic material from both raw and highly processed foodstuffs. We show that for optimal, PCR-ready DNA purification from highly processed fo odstuffs and PCR inhibitor-rich substances-such as cocoa-containing product s-adapted protocols for the QIAGEN((R)) QlAamp((R)) DNA Stool Mini Kit can be utilized. For complete DNA isolation from raw foodstuffs, a protocol usi ng the DNeasy((R)) Plant Mini Kit is presented.