Compositional analysis of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans treated with glyphosate.

The compositional analyses and safety assessment of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans (GTS) were previously described. These analyses were extensive and included addressing the potential effects on seed composition from the genetic modification. Detailed compositional analyses established that GTS, which had not been treated with glyphosate, were comparable to the parental soybean line and to other conventional soybeans. In this study, two GTS lines, 40-3-2 and 61-67-1, were treated with commercial levels of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide. The composition of the seed from soybeans sprayed with glyphosate was compared to that of a nonsprayed parental control cultivar, A5403. The nutrients measured in the seed included protein, oil, ash, fiber, carbohydrates, and amino acids. The concentration of isoflavones (also referred to as phytoestrogens) was also measured as these compounds are derived from the same biochemical pathway that was engineered for glyphosate tolerance. The analytical results from these studies demonstrate that the GTS soybeans treated with glyphosate were comparable to the parental soybean cultivar, A5403, and other conventional soybean varieties.