Authors: AKKAK, AZIZ; BOCCACCI, PAOLO; BOTTA, ROBERTO

Source: Journal of Food Quality, Volume 31, Number 4, August 2008 , pp. 549-557(9)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Establishing genetic origin of food products allows verification of the authenticity of valuable foods and discourages adulteration with material of lower cost and value. This is particularly important for food products that have obtained European recognition. The use of molecular markers could be a solution for species and cultivar identification and for the genetic traceability. The development of efficient DNA-extraction protocols is an essential step for the procedure. In this work, a method for total DNA isolation was developed for hazelnut, almond and walnut seeds. The efficiency and reliability of the method was tested by assessing quantity and quality of the extracted DNA, and by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification, using two decamer primers and three universal primer pairs designed on the chloroplast DNA. The success of amplifications confirmed the presence of both nuclear and chloroplast DNA in the extracted sample. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Cultivar identification of nuts, based on morphological traits only, is often difficult, and adulterations with seeds of lower cost and quality are easy, above all when they are sold as shelled kernel, as is common for hazelnut. The genetic identification of cultivars is nowadays a routine practice, because of the development of DNA-typing techniques based on molecular markers. An efficient DNA-extraction procedure for hazelnut, almond and walnut seeds is a preliminary step required for enabling the recognition of the cultivar of origin of the nuts and fighting commercial frauds. It will also be useful in marker-assisted selection, applied in breeding.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4557.2008.00219.x

Affiliations: 1: Dipartimento di Colture ArboreeUniversità degli Studi di TorinoVia Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (Torino), Italy

Publication date: 2008-08-01

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