In 2017 AquaBounty Technologies announced the sale of several tonnes of their genetically modified salmon AquAdvantage® on the Canadian market. The introduction of a growth hormone-regulating gene from Pacific Chinook salmon leads to a significantly accelerated growth, allowing it to reach mature size in half the time when compared to non-modified salmon.

Canadian legislation allows the sale of products containing GMOs without labelling therefore it is unclear whether AquAdvantage® was released onto the market as a fresh product or as an ingredient in processed food products. In order to address concerns about the presence of this GMO, Eurofins GeneScan Techonologies has developed the Real-time PCR kit “GMOIdent Accelerated Growth Salmon” as a detection tool for food and feed testing laboratories. The kit offers the specific detection of the genetic construct present in AquAdvantage® salmon and can be used with common DNA extraction methods, as well as specific extraction methods for highly processed ingredients, such as gelatine. It was validated for the most important real-time PCR cyclers and to provide reliable GMO testing results, an internal positive control (IPC) is included in every reaction, indicating negative results caused by PCR inhibition.

GMOIdent Accelerated Growth Salmon kit at a glance:

• Specific detection of the genetic modification present in AquAdvantage® salmon
• No false-negative results: inhibition control (internal positive control; IPC) included in every reaction
• Can be used flexibly with common DNA extraction methods
• Validated for the following real-time PCR cyclers: Applied Biosystems^® 7500 (Fast), Agilent Mx3000P/Mx3005P™, Bio-Rad CFX96 Touch™

Additionally, we can offer you on-site (at your site/ laboratory) and off-site (at our facility location in Freiburg, Germany) trainings, webinars and technical consultations.