The forage and grain of MON 87460, a drought-tolerant corn hybrid, are compositionally equivalent to that of conventional corn.

MON 87460 contains a gene that expresses cold shock protein B (CSPB) from Bacillus subtilis. Expression of this gene confers a yield advantage when yield is limited by water availability. Compositional analyses of MON 87460 and a conventional corn variety with similar background genetics were conducted on forage and grain harvested from multiple replicated field sites across the United States during the 2006 growing season and across Chile during the 2006-2007 growing season. The U.S. field trials were conducted under typical agronomic practices, whereas the Chilean field trials incorporated a strip-plot design that included well-watered and water-limited treatments. Results demonstrated that levels of the components analyzed were comparable between MON 87460, the conventional control, and the commercially available corn hybrids.

Safety assessment of SDA soybean oil: results of a 28-day gavage study and a 90-day/one generation reproduction feeding study in rats.

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) in the diet reduce risk of cardiac mortality. Fish oils are a dietary source of LC-PUFAs (EPA, DHA) but intake is low in Western diets. Adding beneficial amounts of LC-PUFAs to foods is limited by their instability and potential to impart off-flavors. Stearidonic acid (SDA), a precursor of EPA in man, is more stable than EPA/DHA in food matrices. SDA is present in fish oils (0.5-4%) and in nutraceuticals (echium, borage oil). Genes for Delta6, Delta15 desaturases were introduced into soybeans that convert linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid to SDA (15-30% fatty acids). Since addition of SDA soybean oil into human foods increases SDA intake, toxicology studies were undertaken to assess its safety. In a 28-day pilot study, rats were gavaged with SDA soybean oil at dosages up to 3g/kg body weight/day; no treatment-related adverse effects were observed. A 90-day/one generation rat reproduction study was subsequently conducted where SDA soybean oil was added to diets to provide daily doses of 1.5 and 4 g/kg body weight. There were no treatment-related adverse effects on parental animals or on reproductive performance and progeny development.

Determination of pesticide residues (> 0.5 microg/L) in soft drinks and sports drinks by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry: collaborative study.

A collaborative study was conducted on a method for the measurement of 19 low-level pesticide residues in soft drinks and sports drinks by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The pesticide residues determined were 2,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (2,4'-DDE); 2,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (2,4'-DDD); 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4'-DDE); 2,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (2,4'-DDT); 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4'-DDT); 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (4,4'-DDD); alpha-endosulfan; endosulfan-sulfate; dieldrin; aldrin; ethion; chlorpyrifos; beta-endosulfan; malathion; methyl-parathion; alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH); beta-HCH; delta-HCH; and gamma-HCH. Blind fortification solutions containing 4 different levels of pesticide residues (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 microg/L) were provided to 8 collaborating laboratories who used them to create test samples in 6 matrixes (also provided): 2 colas, a diet cola, a clear lemon-lime soft drink, an orange soft drink, and a sports drink. Reproducibility (RSDR) for all 19 pesticide residues in all matrixes ranged from 7 to 151% at the 0.1 microg/L level, 11 to 121% at 0.5 microg/L, and 14 to 67% at 1.0 microg/L. Repeatability (RSDr), applicable to the diet cola and the sports drink, ranged from 1 to 76% for the 19 pesticide residues at the 0.1 microg/L level, 9 to 38% at 0.5 microg/L, and 9 to 38% at 1.0 microg/L. Recoveries for the 19 pesticide residues in all matrixes ranged from 77 to 645% at the 0.1 microg/L level, 60 to 231% at 0.5 microg/L, and 61 to 146% at 1.0 microg/L. It is recommended that the method be accepted by AOAC as Official First Action with a limit of quantification (LOQ) equal to 0.5 microg/L for 4,4'-DDT; 2,4'-DDT; 2,4'-DDD; 4,4'-DDE; 4,4'-DDD; 2,4'-DDE; aldrin; dieldrin; alpha-endosulfan; endosulfan-sulfate; chlorpyrifos; and ethion, and an LOQ equal to 1.0 microg/L for beta-endosulfan; alpha-HCH; beta-HCH; delta-HCH; gamma-HCH; methyl-parathion; and malathion.

Determination of low-level pesticide residues in soft drinks and sports drinks by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry: collaborative study.

A collaborative study was conducted on a method for the measurement of 11 low-level pesticide residues in soft drinks and sports drinks by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The pesticide residues determined in this study were alachlor, atrazine, butachlor, isoproturon, malaoxon, monocrotophos, methyl paraoxon, phorate, phorate sulfone, phorate sulfoxide, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Blind fortification solutions containing 3 different levels of pesticide residues were provided to 9 collaborating laboratories to create test samples at concentrations of 0, 0.1, and 0.5 microg/L with a 10-fold concentration for phorate in a total of 6 matrixes (2 colas, 1 diet cola, 1 clear lemon-lime soft drink, 1 orange soft drink, and 1 sports drink). Good qualitative performance of the method was demonstrated for all pesticide residues. Reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSDR) ranged from 7 to 151% for alachlor, atrazine, butachlor, isoproturon, malaoxon, monocrotophos, methyl paraoxon, phorate, phorate sulfone, phorate sulfoxide, and 2,4-D at the 0.1 microg/L level (1.0 microg/L for phorate). At 0.5 microg/L (5.0 microg/L for phorate), RSDR ranged from 9 to 57% for alachlor, atrazine, butachlor isoproturon, malaoxon, monocrotophos, methyl paraoxon, phorate, phorate sulfone, phorate sulfoxide, and 2,4-D in all matrixes. Repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr), applicable to the diet cola and sports drink, ranged from 0 to 124% for the 11 pesticide residues at the 0.1 microg/L level (1.0 microg/L for phorate). At 0.5 microg/L (5.0 microg/L for phorate), RSDr ranged from 4 to 26%. Recoveries for the 11 pesticide residues in all matrixes ranged from 84 to 300% at the 0.1 microg/L level (1.0 microg/L for phorate) and from 66 to 127% at the 0.5 microg/L (5.0 microg/L for phorate) level. Coefficients of determination (r2) of the matrix-matched calibration curves were > or = 0.95. It is recommended that the method be accepted by AOAC as Official First Action with a limit of quantification of 0.5 microg/L for alachlor, atrazine, butachlor, isoproturon, malaoxon, methyl paraoxon, monocrotophos, phorate sulfone, phorate sulfoxide, and 2,4-D and 5.0 microg/L for phorate.