Detection of cashew nut DNA in spiked baked goods using a real-time polymerase chain reaction method.
The detection of potentially allergenic foods, such as tree nuts, in food products is a major concern for the food processing industry. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was designed to determine the presence of cashew DNA in food products. The PCR amplifies a 67 bp fragment of the cashew 2S albumin gene, which is detected with a cashew-specific, dual-labeled TaqMan probe. This reaction will not amplify DNA derived from other tree nut species, such as almond, Brazil nut, hazelnut, and walnut, as well as 4 varieties of peanut. This assay was sensitive enough to detect 5 pg purified cashew DNA as well as cashew DNA in a spiked chocolate cookie sample containing 0.01% (100 mg/kg) cashew.
Brzezinski
Jennifer L
JL
US Food and Drug Administration, Forensic Chemistry Center, 6751 Steger Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45237, USA. jennifer.brzezinski@fda.gov
D031021:Anacardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D031383:Bertholletia / Q000378:metabolism; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods*; D031211:Corylus / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000032:analysis; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000032:analysis*; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000379:methods; D031324:Juglans / Q000378:metabolism; D021184:Nut Hypersensitivity; D027861:Prunus / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D017931:DNA Primers; D018744:DNA, Plant