TY - CONF T1 - #18 - POPULAR UNLABELLED CORNMEAL BRANDS EXPECTED TO BE LABELED AS ‘BIOENGINEERED’ BY 2022 IN THE U.S.: DUE TO DETECTION OF GENETIC MATERIAL AU - Encarnacion-Thomas, Elvia AU - DaCosta, Jenai AU - Panah, Farinaz AU - Dishmey-Garrido, Lilly AU - Adula, Tsion AB - There is a growing concern in the U.S. about genetically modified (GM) or GMO foods and consumers are demanding proper disclosure. Public Law 114-216 passed July 29, 2016 also known as the ‘GMO labeling bill’, where the USDA established a National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) stating manufacturers are not required to label products if genetic material is undetected3. Bioengineered food is defined as a food that has been modified through the insertion of in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid techniques, per NBFDS. Because corn is currently in the bioengineered lists of crops and 93% of corn produced in the US is transgenic for traits such as herbicide tolerance and/or insect resistance1, it is expected that all foods from this crop would be labeled as bioengineered by the mandatory compliance date January 1, 2022. In this project, we aim to test the detection of some ofthe common markers for genetic modification in Bt corn 35S promoter (123 bp) and Cry1A(b) (200 bp) genes2,4. If only the 35S promoter marker is detected a Roundup protein-based analysis will be used. Four unlabeled brands: Tenda Bake, Minsa, Maseca and Martha White purchased in Gwinnett County will be assessed for these markers and compared to a GM (Jiffy mix) and non-GMO(Arrowhead) labeled cornmeal product. We predict that the experimental samples will contain one or both markers for genetic modification. To investigate GM content protocols for GeneJEt Plant DNA Extraction Kit, Nanodrop 2000 spectrophotometer and PCR will be followed. Additionally, protein expression analysis using a Bt-Cry1Ab/1Ac and Roundup Ready ELISA kit will be performed. The data collected will provide our local community that consume these products, with scientific information that provides transparency in GM content and new terminology/labeling changes that are to be expected on selected cornmeal brands. DA - 2019-11-2 PY - 2024 PB - unav ER -