title: A DNA barcoding approach to identify plant species in multiflower honey.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to test the ability of DNA barcoding to identify the plant origins of processed honey. Four multifloral honeys produced at different sites in a floristically rich area in the northern Italian Alps were examined by using the rbcL and trnH-psbA plastid regions as barcode markers. An extensive reference database of barcode sequences was generated for the local flora to determine the taxonomic composition of honey. Thirty-nine plant species were identified in the four honey samples, each of which originated from a mix of common plants belonging to Castanea, Quercus, Fagus and several herbaceous taxa. Interestingly, at least one endemic plant was found in all four honey samples, providing a clear signature for the geographic identity of these products. DNA of the toxic plant Atropa belladonna was detected in one sample, illustrating the usefulness of DNA barcoding for evaluating the safety of honey.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, ZooPlantLab, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, ZooPlantLab, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, ZooPlantLab, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caridi
authors.affiliation: Parco Regionale della Grigna Settentrionale, Via Fornace Merlo 2, 23816 Barzio, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scaccabarozzi
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, ZooPlantLab, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Mattia
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, ZooPlantLab, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casiraghi
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, ZooPlantLab, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: massimo.labra@unimib.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Labra
mesh_terms: D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / Q000379:methods*; D017343:Genes, Plant; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*
keywords: Food traceability; Honey; Molecular markers; Pollen identification; rbcL; trnH-psbA