Screening for GMO in cotton chain reaches ‘milestone’
A joint project to “create a common language” to screen for the potential presence of genetically modified (GM) cotton has reached what it calls a milestone: 14 labs, in China, Germany, India, the Netherlands and Portugal, have passed the proficiency test.
In 2019, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) and Textile Exchange partnered to develop the ISO IWA 32:2019 protocol, aiming to bring clarity regarding the laboratories that perform testing against the protocol on cottonseed, leaf, fibre and chemically unprocessed fibre-derived materials.
The Textile Exchange said: “While GMOs are excluded from organic systems, organic isn’t a claim of absolute freedom from contamination or GMOs’ presence in organic products. It is a claim that GMOs are not deliberately or knowingly used and that organic producers take far-reaching steps to avoid GMO contamination along the organic cotton value chain, from farmers to spinners, to brands. To manage this, it is essential that organic cotton stakeholders can reliably test their products for the potential presence of GM cotton.”
Rahul Bhajekar, managing director at GOTS, added: “I am glad to see a high level of interest from laboratories across the world and results showing competence from producing and buying countries. We shall continue to further advance this collaboration with like-minded organisations to further develop the standardisation of GMO testing in cotton fibre products. We remain committed to ensuring that GOTS goods are free from GMOs.”
In November, GOTS said it had obtained “substantial documentary evidence” confirming “systemic fraud” on the part of some Indian cotton producers. GOTS said that all future raw material transaction certificates entering its supply chain will be scrutinised by GOTS for authenticity.
