Iran Conducts First Experiments to Trace Transgenic Materials in Aquatic Feed

“Researchers of the genetic engineering and biosafety department of the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, who are trying to develop technology of genetically modified crops (GMO), conducted laboratory tests for tracing transgenic products in the research center (Karaj) and three subsidiary laboratories in the cities of Rasht, Ahvaz and Dezfoul as the national reference laboratories in the field of tracing and detecting transgenic products,” Gholamreza Salehi Jozani said.

“One of the most important activities of these laboratories is the identification and tracking of imported transgenic products, specially corn and soybeans, which is of particular importance considering the annual imports of more than 12 million tons of corn as animal feed,” he added.

Given the capability of the institute in tracing transgenic materials in agricultural products, and the need of exporters of aquatic feed to Eurasia to ensure the absence of transgenic materials in exported feed, the first tests related to raw materials and aquatic feed were carried out in the research institute's laboratory, Salehi Jozani said.

“Therefore, producers and exporters of these products can ensure that the raw materials are not genetically modified, without the need to send samples abroad,” He noted.

Earlier this year, the Islamic Azad University’s science and research unit had also produced four new dietary supplements for improving the health and growth of fish.

The fisheries, natural resources, and environment department of the Islamic Azad University (IAU) produced the supplements for rainbow trout and Siberian sturgeon.

Evonik Industries which is one of the largest specialty chemicals companies in the world, and IAU’s research center for agriculture and natural resources development cooperated in producing the supplements.

Results of the research showed the effects of several herbal products on the growth, improvement of antioxidant capacity, and immune system of fish.

The results also showed that the use of such ingredients in the diet can reduce the length of the breeding period of fish by more than 50 percent and the risk of their mortality in the face of some pathogenic agents by about 70 percent.

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