Institutional activities
The National Reference Laboratory for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) carries out:
- advising the Competent Authority on the planning of official controls of GMOs in food marketed on the territory (the National Official Control Plan on the Presence of Genetically Modified Organisms in Food 2020-2024 is currently in force)
- participates in the planning and scheduling of activities carried out on the territory by regional and provincial health authorities and import authorities
- in the context of official controls is responsible for providing a second expert opinion on the presence of GMOs in food and feed
- delivers opinions on various aspects of the GMO issue and on emerging scientific and technical issues (e.g. new genomic techniques)
- develops and validates analytical methods for the detection and quantification of GMOs in food and feed with particular reference to PCR analytical methods and sampling plans
- participates in meetings organised by the European Union Reference Laboratory for GM Food and Feed (EURL GMFF)
- participates in meetings and technical working groups of the ENGL, and in the validation of analytical methods proposed by the notifier under the specific legislation
- participates in the annual meetings with the national network of official control laboratories on the issues of GMO analysis and sampling; in this context, it provides an update on the activities carried out at European level
- it carries out training activities in favour of the bodies operating in the National Health Service and, on behalf of the European Commission, in favour of Third Countries and Candidate Countries for accession to the European Union
Research activities
The National Reference Laboratory for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) carries out research activities at national and international level for the:
- standardisation and validation of analytical methods for the detection of GMOs
- comparison of DNA extraction methods from food
- development of sampling methods for GMO analysis
- strategies to prevent criminal and terrorist attacks against the food supply chain
- development of guidelines, management systems and new methodologie for GMOs traceability, own-check procedures and official control in the food and feed supply chain
- establishment of inventories of existing post-market monitoring initiatives and collection of data on potential animal health impacts of GM feed.
- collection of information on measurable animal health indicators and how to analyse exposure
