Investigation of residual DNAs in sugar from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.).

Genetically modified (GM) sugar beets have been bred for use as food and animal feed. To evaluate the applicability of GMO analyses to beet sugar products, we investigated residual DNA in eight sorts of in-process beet sugar samples and commercial beet sugar products. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses with taxon-specific primers indicated that sugar beet DNA was degraded at an early stage of sugar processing, and no PCR amplification was detected from the investigated sugar products because of low DNA recovery and/or PCR inhibition.