Russia's First Portable GMO Tester Goes on Sale

MOSCOW, December 23 (Sputnik) –Researchers in Biological Engineering at Altai State University in Siberia have announced in a press release that their research on a portable tester for GMO in food has culminated in the manufacture of the first product prototypes, ready to go on sale next year.

"At the moment we are finishing our project, thanks to which we have been able to cut the time needed to analyze for the presence of genetically modified organisms from 50 minutes to 11-25 minutes," said Maksim Kutsev, a doctoral student in biology at the University.

"Since the beginning of this year we have been bringing our project to its conclusions, gaining certification, and developing technology for the long-term storage of reagents. Now we are able to say that our tester is a patented and certified product," the scientist continued.

The tester, which weighs around one kilogram and is 15 to 20 centimeters long, took the researchers around two years to develop. The user puts the suspect foodstuff into a cartridge, which is then placed inside the instrument for analysis. After 11-25 minutes, the test results appear on the instruments' display.

The researchers received the prize of "most unusual achievement of the year" for their accomplishment, in a joint award from telecoms company Megafon and the Altai State Telecoms Company. Their product is set to go on sale in the New Year on the internet and in Moscow retailers of medical equipment, and will set back prospective buyers around 15-16 thousand rubles.