title: Labeling milk along its production chain with DNA encapsulated in silica.
abstract: The capability of tracing a food product along its production chain is important to ensure food safety and product authenticity. For this purpose and as an application example, recently developed Silica Particles with Encapsulated DNA (SPED) were added to milk at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 100 ppb (μg per kg milk). Thereby the milk, as well as the milk-derived products yoghurt and cheese, could be uniquely labeled with a DNA tag. Procedures for the extraction of the DNA tags from the food matrixes were elaborated and allowed identification and quantification of previously marked products by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with detection limits below 1 ppb of added particles. The applicability of synthetic as well as naturally occurring DNA sequences was shown. The usage of approved food additives as DNA carrier (silica = E551) and the low cost of the technology (<0.1 USD per ton of milk labeled with 10 ppb of SPED) display the technical applicability of this food labeling technology.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich , Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Madeleine S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bloch
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paunescu
authors.forename: Philipp R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Stoessel
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: Wendelin J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Robert N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Grass
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000032:analysis*; D005503:Food Additives / Q000737:chemistry*; D005524:Food Technology / Q000379:methods*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D005503:Food Additives; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
keywords: anticounterfeit; farm-to-fork; product life cycle; traceability; tracing