Abstract:
Transgenic crops were grown in at least 29 countries and by over 15.4M farmers,
covering 148M ha of land worldwide by 2010. In 2001, Kenya introduced cry1Ab
and cry1Ba genes for research purposes to control lepidopteran maize stem-borer
pests and not for commercial. In 2009 the Kenya Biosafety Bill was assented into
law. Nevertheless, Kenya imports foods from countries that grow GM crops. This
study assessed maize food products in the Kenyan markets for inadvertent presence
of genes and proteins from selected GMOs and the possibility of ‘gene-flow’ to the
surrounding maize farms due to growing of Bt maize in confined field trial (CFT)
sites at KARI-Kiboko in 2005–2006 period. The target sample (120) was obtained
using multistage sampling technique. Conventional PCR and lateral-strip methods
were used to analyse the target sample sourced variously as seed, flour and flour
products. About 6.7% of the 120 samples tested positive for cry1Ab gene and
Cry1Ab protein, but were negative for cry1Ba gene. Besides, no gene-flow was
detected within the vicinity of the Kiboko CFT site (confirming that the regulatory
measures employed during the CFTs at Kiboko were effective). These findings
indicate that there are GMOs in the maize grain imports into Kenya. Thus NBA and
KEPHIS should put foolproof measures including labelling requirements in place to
eliminate illegal imports of GM maize food products. Further research should be
undertaken on the quantification of GMOs in the maize food products in Kenya.
Key words: Cry1Ab, Cry1Ba, Biosafety, Genetically Modified (GM), Genetically
Modified Organisms (GMOs), Labelling, Bt maize.
