The certification of reference materials of soya powder with different mass fractions of roundup ready (TM) soya : Certified reference materials IRMM 410 (SB-0 / SB-0.1 / SB-0.5 / SB-2)

different mass fractions of genetically modified Roundup Ready™ dry powder. Certified reference materials SB-0, SB-0.1, SB-0.5 and SB-2 form set of 4 CRM's of dried soya bean powder with different mass fractions (0, 0.1, 0.5, 2 %) of dried powder of genetically modified (Roundup Ready™) soya beans. The CRM's were produced by IRMM on behalf of Fluka Chemie AG in the frame of a project of the Environment Institute (EI) of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (Ispra, Italy) aiming at the validation of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening method for the detection of genetically modified plants. They were validated in a laboratory intercomparison to which contributed 25 laboratories, ana sing 400 unknown and randomly distributed samples containing the four CRM's. The CRM's are available in the form of glass bottles containing 2 g (0 %) or 1 g (0.1/0.5/2 %) of soya beans powder packed under argon atmosphere. The materials were prepared by quantitative mixing in aqueous suspension of biologically grown non-modified soya bean powder (SB-0) and 100 % Roundup Ready™ GMO dried soya bean powder, and subsequent freeze-drying, grinding, homogenisation and bottling. The pre-filled bottles were submitted to a supplemental 4 h primary vacuum drying and closed after filling with pure argon. It is recommended to use samplings not smaller than 100 mg. Unopened bottles can be stored at room temperature, preferably in the dark. Once opened, bottles should be stored dry and cool (4 °C).