FoodChain ID Certification Europe, the leading authority on non GM certification, has voluntarily changed the testing protocol required for certification of soya products from India to screen for cotton, often genetically modified and increasingly a cross contaminant.

The move by FoodChain ID Certification Europe comes following the company’s continual monitoring of potential cross contaminants to soya and the identification of cotton as a prominent issue.  From 1 November 2011, all Indian Soya products being certified by FoodChain ID Certification Europe for non GM will also be tested using PCR methodology for the presence of the cotton gene.

Richard Werran, FoodChain ID Certification Europe’s Managing Director and an expert on GM explains:

“India maintains a strong biotech mandate and continues to develop, trial, release and cultivate unique GM cotton varieties for which no EU approval has been, or will be sought. Likewise any testing methodologies for these GMOs are not in the public domain.

For Indian soya companies supplying Europe, potential cross contamination can cause a real issue: not only does Europe have strict policies with regard to GM but many of the GM cotton varieties being grown are not approved and have a zero tolerance. Clearly any testing and subsequent certification needs to recognise the cotton issue.”

The new testing strategy from FoodChain ID Certification Europe will ensure exclusion of GM cotton from both production and the supply chain, enabling Indian clients to demonstrate compliance with EU GM regulations. In addition, EU ingredient buyers, major brand and retailers can also be assured that Indian soya products certificated through FoodChain ID Certification Europe have been robustly screened for cotton contamination.

For more details and information on changes to the test protocol contact Maria Taylor, Certification Manager at FoodChain ID Certification Europe maria.taylor@cert-id.eu