Compositions of Seed, Forage, and Processed Fractions from Insect-Protected Soybean MON 87701 Are Equivalent to Those of Conventional Soybean

Monsanto Co. has developed biotechnology-derived, insect-protected soybean MON 87701 that produces the Cry1Ac insecticidal crystal (delta-endotoxin) protein derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) subsp. kurstaki. Cry1Ac provides protection from feeding damage caused by certain targeted lepidopteran pests. The purpose of this work was to assess whether the compositions of seed, forage, and processed fractions (meal, oil, protein isolate, and lecithin) of MON 87701 are comparable to those of conventional soybean. Compositional analyses were conducted on seed and forage tissues harvested from MON 87701 and conventional soybean grown in multiple replicated sites in the United States during the 2007 growing season and in Argentina during the 2007-2008 growing season. Seed, forage, and processed fractions from conventional soybean varieties currently in the marketplace were included in the analyses to establish a range of natural variability for each compositional component; the range of variability was defined by a 99% tolerance interval. Additional seed was collected from soybean grown in a separate U.S. production during the 2007 season. This seed and processed fractions (meal, oil, protein isolate, and crude lecithin) derived from it were also subjected to compositional analyses. Forage samples were analyzed for levels of proximates (ash, fat, moisture, and protein), carbohydrates by calculation, and fiber. Seed samples were analyzed for proximates, carbohydrates by calculation, fiber, amino acids, fatty acids, antinutrients, and vitamin E. Toasted, defatted (TD) meal was analyzed for proximates, fiber, amino acids, and antinutrients. Refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) oil was analyzed for fatty acids and vitamin E. Protein isolate was analyzed for amino acids and moisture. Crude lecithin was analyzed for phosphatides. Overall, results demonstrated that the seed, forage, and processed fractions of MON 87701 are compositionally equivalent to those of conventional soybean.