TITLE:
Novel Approach to the Rapid Differentiation of Common Prunus Allergen Species by PCR Product Melt Analysis
AUTHORS:
Gavin Nixon, Laurie Hall, Timothy Wilkes, Michael Walker, Malcolm Burns
KEYWORDS:
Allergens, Melt Analysis, Prunus Speciation, Real-Time PCR
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.7 No.10,
August
31,
2016
ABSTRACT: Food allergies represent a clear threat to the general health and wellbeing of those affected which
place increasing pressure on food producers and regulatory authorities. Current analytical techniques
typically find difficulties distinguishing between closely related Prunus species which include
almond (Prunus dulcis), an EU listed allergenic species. This study describes a proof of principle
real-time PCR approach utilising DNA melt analyses that targets the internal transcribed
spacer (ITS) sequence to differentiate between a panel of Prunus test species. The method was
successfully applied to the characterisation of a commercial paprika sample suspected of having
being adulterated with almond, referred to the UK Government Chemist in 2015 in its advisory
capacity. Subject to further validation work, the method appears to specifically amplify Prunus species and is capable of discrimination based on the resultant melt profiles. The developed method
provides analysts with a simple and broad molecular tool to identify common Prunus species
for food authenticity and allergen testing purposes. Initial development work demonstrates a
promising approach with the potential to improve discrimination between Prunus species not
easily resolved by routine analytical methods.