5.3.2. Types of detection methods

Detection of GMO or its derivative can be performed through detecting of the molecule - primary target (the DNA sequence itself and eventually - RNA), specifically connected with the genetic modification or its product (the recombinant protein that can be produced in relation with the genetic change. The greater part of the methods available concern DNA detection, and just few techniques are applied in RNA and protein detection. The reasons for this fact are as follows:

• DNA can be amplified and purified rapidly and efficiently using PCR. Multiplication of RNA and proteins is more complicated and time consuming process.
• DNA is a stabile molecule while RNA is not stabile at all. The protein is easily subjected to temperature denaturation during food processing, thus its stability depends on various external factors.
• If the modifying element is a nuclear DNA there is a linear dependence of its quantity and the amount of the GMO. However such correlation is virtually not observed between the quantity of the GMO and RNA/Protein.
• Since the genetic modification is done at DNA level, it is reasonable to detect this alternation at the same level.

Nowadays all commercialized GMO possesses foreign nuclear DNA.