The certification of reference materials of dry-mixed maize powder with different mass fractions of MON 863 x MON 810 maize : certified reference materials ERM-BF417 (ERM-BF417a, ERM-BF417b, ERM-BF417c, ERM-BF417d)

The report describes the preparation and certification of dry-mixed maize powder CRMs with different mass fractions of genetically modified MON 863 x MON 810 maize powder (Certified Reference Materials ERM-BF417a, ERM-BF417b, ERM-BF417c and ERM-BF417d). Reference Material ERM-BF417 was originally certified as IRMM-417. The CRMs were processed in 2003/2004 and certified in 2005 by the European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) in Geel, Belgium. The CRMs are intended for the quality control and calibration of methods for the detection of genetically modified food. The MON 863 x MON 810 mass fractions of ERM-BF417 were verified with the help of DNA-based detection methods. The CRMs are available in the form of glass bottles containing 1 g of maize powder packed under argon atmosphere. Seeds of non-modified maize (conventional seed line RX670) and MON 863 x MON 810 maize (line TP6705-BG) both produced by Monsanto (St. Louis, MO, USA) were rinsed with demineralised water, additionally drained and dried at 30°C in order to minimise dust contamination from other crops. After a two step grinding process, the materials were prepared by turbula-mixing and dry-mixing of non-modified maize powder and MON 863 X MON 810 maize powder.