Detection of Genetically Modified Genes from Soybean Sprout Products

A total of 219 polymerase chain reaction tests of genetically modified (GM) DNA sequences in soybean seeds and soybean sprouts were conducted during 2000-2001. No CM gene was found in 96 tests of soybean seeds. However, either a functional CP4EPSPS gene or the 35S promoter gene was found three times in 2000 and eight times in 2001, in between 0.01 and 0.17% of soybean spout products, in 123 tests. Since the amount of GM genes was much less than the threshold limit of 3%, none of the 11 positive soybean-sprout samples needed to be libeled GM crops.