Trends in Labelling of Genetically Modified Organisms

Abstract

Genetically modified organism is an organism whose genetic material has been intentionally altered using genetic engineering techniques. The number of genetically modified organisms that are being developed and used increases every year. In many countries the use of genetically modified organisms is regulated and it is therefore important to introduce legal proceedings, regulatory instructions and reliable methods for the detection and quantification of genetically modified organisms. These regulations are different for each country. Somewhere, the cultivation of genetically modified crops is allowed and the genetically modified products need not to be labelled, elsewhere, the approval process concerns every genetically modified event in European Union. Somewhere, genetically modified organisms are forbidden. With the growing number of these products, the number of opponents who are worried about genetically modified products is rising. They look for GMO-free food and this labelling is more common on the market due to adaptive marketing strategy.