TY - JOUR T1 - Detecting un-authorized genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and derived materials4841 JF - Biotechnol.Adv. Y1 - 2012 A1 - Holst-Jensen,A. A1 - Bertheau,Y. A1 - M. De Loose A1 - L. Grohmann A1 - Hamels,S. A1 - Hougs,L. A1 - Morisset,D. A1 - Pecoraro,S. A1 - Pla,M. A1 - Marc Van den Bulcke A1 - Wulff,D. KW - 2010 KW - a KW - ALL KW - approach KW - approaches KW - AS KW - bias KW - Commercialization KW - Control KW - Countries KW - Coverage KW - data KW - detection KW - Development KW - dissemination KW - diversity KW - EU KW - European KW - European Union KW - factors KW - Field KW - GEM KW - Genetic KW - genetically KW - Genetically engineered organism KW - Genetically modified KW - Genetically modified organism KW - Genetically modified organisms KW - genetically modified plant KW - Genetically modified plants KW - global KW - GMO KW - GMO screening KW - GMOs KW - identify KW - INFORMATION KW - Institute KW - IS KW - IT KW - Laboratories KW - legal KW - Light KW - limitation KW - Limitations KW - maize KW - Matrix approach KW - Norway KW - norwegian KW - Observation KW - OECD KW - ON KW - Paper KW - period KW - plant KW - Plants KW - present KW - production KW - relevance KW - REVIEW KW - SENSITIVITY KW - Soybean KW - specific KW - State KW - technology KW - Term KW - time KW - Un-approved GEM KW - Un-approved GMO KW - unauthorized GMO KW - Unknown GMO AB - Genetically modified plants, in the following referred to as genetically modified organisms or GMOs, have been commercially grown for almost two decades. In 2010 approximately 10% of the total global crop acreage was planted with GMOs (James, 2011). More than 30 countries have been growing commercial GMOs, and many more have performed field trials. Although the majority of commercial GMOs both in terms of acreage and specific events belong to the four species: soybean, maize, cotton and rapeseed, there are another 20+ species where GMOs are commercialized or in the pipeline for commercialization. The number of GMOs cultivated in field trials or for commercial production has constantly increased during this time period. So have the number of species, the number of countries involved, the diversity of novel (added) genetic elements and the global trade. All of these factors contribute to the increasing complexity of detecting and correctly identifying GMO derived material. Many jurisdictions, including the European Union (EU), legally distinguish between authorized (and therefore legal) and un-authorized (and therefore illegal) GMOs. Information about the developments, field trials, authorizations, cultivation, trade and observations made in the official GMO control laboratories in different countries around the world is often limited, despite several attempts such as the OECD BioTrack for voluntary dissemination of data. This lack of information inevitably makes it challenging to detect and identify GMOs, especially the un-authorized GMOs. The present paper reviews the state of the art technologies and approaches in light of coverage, practicability, sensitivity and limitations. Emphasis is put on exemplifying practical detection of un-authorized GMOs. Although this paper has a European (EU) bias when examples are given, the contents have global relevance VL - On line U1 - 4841 M3 - 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2012.01.024 ER -