The application of biotechnological methods in authenticity testing.
By counterfeiting brand names in the food and drink industry as well as fraudulently labelling and selling low quality products as premium products, this sector of the industry has lost significant amounts of money and the consumer has been deceived. While it was difficult to establish certain types of fraud before the advent of modern biotechnology, DNA-based methods make an important contribution to protect high-quality brand names and protect the consumer. Several years ago, DNA technologies were considered as methods used in universities, primarily for research purpose, not so much for 'real-life' applications. However, this has changed and a number of laboratories have specialised in offering such services to the industry. This article will review DNA-based techniques commonly used for authenticity testing.
Popping
Bert
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Eurofins Scientific, 69a Kilnwick Road, Pocklington, YO42 2JY, UK. bertpopping@eurofins.com
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005515:Food Labeling / Q000379:methods; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified; D005607:Fraud / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D014920:Wine / Q000032:analysis
D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D004247:DNA