Long-term monitoring of GMOs in EU food and feed: a multi-national survey to optimize enforcement strategies

To ensure food safety, consumer protection and environmental sustainability, the European Union enforces a robust regulatory framework for GMO monitoring. This study presents a multi-annual survey to evaluate the effectiveness of EU enforcement strategies in detecting and managing GMO presence across the food and feed supply chain. The study aggregates for the first time data across all EU Member States and product categories (food, feed, seed) over three time periods, providing a holistic view of GMO dynamics. The study investigated the number and type of products subjected to analytical tests but also reveals trends in GMO occurrence over time. These observations underscore the importance of updating detection strategies in control laboratories to address the evolving GMO landscape. By leveraging the study's findings, EU competent authorities and official control laboratories may tailor their monitoring plans to reflect actual market trends and enhance the efficiency of GMO analysis.