Determination of DNA traces in rapeseed oil

Abstract

 Today, genetically modified oilseeds are commercially available. Consumer protection as well as product safety demand analytical methods for the identification of products which have been genetically manipulated. By means of a technique which incorporates polymerase chain reactions, deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) fragments have been identified in oil samples from Brassicca napus. DNA fragments were successfully identified in samples of coldpressed oil, as well as in samples of refined oil. Detectable amounts of DNA were isolated and amplified. In contrast to other results from the literature, we were able to demonstrate that DNA fragments also occur in oil samples and that they can be used for the identification of the plant species from which the oils are derived, and for use in further analyses. The techniques developed not only permit the identification of genetically modified seeds, but can also be used to identify different types of oils which have been adulterated with genetically manipulated foodstuffs.