Abstract
Innate® genetically modified (GM) potato events have been developed to confer desirable traits such as black spot resistance and decreased acrylamide levels. The first-generation event E12 and second-generation events X17, Y9, and Z6, which possess additional traits, including further sugar reduction and late blight resistance, have been approved for food use in several countries. Considering that these GM potatoes may be in commerce, they need to be appropriately monitored and labeled to ensure consumers' right to informed choice. All of these events share the genetic construct pSIM1278. We developed a real-time PCR method targeting pSIM1278 that enables simultaneous screening of all Innate® GM potato events in a single reaction. The assay's sensitivity and specificity were evaluated, and its practical utility was demonstrated through a distribution survey of imported potato products in Japan. This method provides a useful tool for monitoring GM potatoes containing the pSIM1278 sequence in foods.