Determination of transgenicity and verification in the labelling of industrialized corn foods in retail outlets in metropolitan Lima

Authors

  • Germán Vergaray Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Investigación de Ciencias Biológicas “Antonio Raimondi”. Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1245-159X
  • Carmen Rosa Méndez Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Investigación de Ciencias Biológicas “Antonio Raimondi”. Lima, Perú
  • José María Miguel Guevara Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical “Daniel A. Carrión”, Lima, Perú
  • Roger Aníbal Gamboa Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. Lima, Perú
  • Vilma Ruth Béjar Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical “Daniel A. Carrión”, Lima, Perú

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15381/anales.v84i3.25207

Keywords:

Zea mays, Food, Labeling food, Organisms Genetically Modified (source: MeSH NLM)

Abstract

Consumption of transgenic foods constitutes a potential health risk. However, in Peru there is a lack of updated and reliable information on the presence of transgenics in food and on the relevant data on their labeling; in the same way about the food consumed by animals for supply, whose products are going to be ingested by humans. Objetive. To determine the transgenicity, through the detection of the 35S promoter, in industrialized corn food products for human and animal consumption, which are marketed in Lima and to verify if the labeling mentions whether or not it contains transgenic sequences. Methods. 30 food samples for human consumption and 10 for consumption by animals for production were analyzed; and the labeling was revised. The Dneasy Mericon Food kit was used for DNA extraction, the Real Time-PCR method for P35S detection using the Mericon Screen 35S kit, and the Mericon Quant Mon 810 kit to determine the copy concentration. Results. P35S was detected in 66,66% of the samples for human consumption, and in 90.00% of the samples for animal consumption. The labeling of 100% of the samples for human and animal consumption does not mention whether or not it contains transgenic components. Conclusions. The detection of transgenic content in the majority of industrialized corn foods for humans and animals demonstrates the need to mention them on the label and the implementation of a demanding policy on food biosafety.

Author Biographies

  • Germán Vergaray, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Investigación de Ciencias Biológicas “Antonio Raimondi”. Lima, Perú

    Doctor en ciencias biológicas.

  • Carmen Rosa Méndez, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Investigación de Ciencias Biológicas “Antonio Raimondi”. Lima, Perú

    Doctora en salud pública.

  • José María Miguel Guevara, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical “Daniel A. Carrión”, Lima, Perú

    Segunda especialidad patología clínica.

  • Roger Aníbal Gamboa, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. Lima, Perú

    Magister en ciencia y tecnología de alimentos.

  • Vilma Ruth Béjar, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical “Daniel A. Carrión”, Lima, Perú

    Magister en salud pública.

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Published

2023-09-28

Issue

Section

Artículo Original

How to Cite

1.
Vergaray G, Méndez CR, Guevara JMM, Gamboa RA, Béjar VR. Determination of transgenicity and verification in the labelling of industrialized corn foods in retail outlets in metropolitan Lima. An Fac med [Internet]. 2023 Sep. 28 [cited 2024 Jul. 17];84(3):279-85. Available from: https://revistasinvestigacion.unmsm.edu.pe/index.php/anales/article/view/25207