Detection of Genetically Modified Additives in Meat Products in Riyadh City

Abstract

Vegetable proteins such as soybean protein have numerous nutritional and functional characteristics, and consequently, their utilization in meat products development has dramatically increased in recent decades. Due to high demands for soybean, transgenic Roundup Ready (RR) soybean line grains were developed and widely distributed into global markets. The current study was designed to investigate the presence of transgenic soybean in meat products sold in Riyadh food retails, Saudi Arabia. After extraction of DNA from meat product samples, qualitative duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the genetically modified (GM) soybean products in the meat samples using pairs of primers targeting the lectin gene and the 35S promoter. Real-time PCR was used to quantify the percentage of RR soy products in the positive samples. The results clarified that out of 96 tested meat product samples (minced, burger, luncheon, canned, and sausages), 75 samples were positive for the presence of lectin gene, of which 42 samples representing 43.75% of total meat product samples were positive for the presence of 35S promoter. All positive samples for 35S promoter contained RR soy below 0.1%. The results of the consumer acceptance questionnaire of GM additives in meat products proved the presence of several critical aspects of concerns to consumers of meat products in different localities of Riyadh city.