scholarly journals DNA barcoding reveals incorrect labelling of insects sold as food in the UK

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanos Siozios ◽  
Annie Massa ◽  
Catherine L. Parr ◽  
Rudi L. Verspoor ◽  
Gregory D.D. Hurst

Background Insects form an established part of the diet in many parts of the world and insect food products are emerging into the European and North American marketplaces. Consumer confidence in product is key in developing this market, and accurate labelling of content identity is an important component of this. We used DNA barcoding to assess the accuracy of insect food products sold in the UK. Methods We purchased insects sold for human consumption from online retailers in the UK and compared the identity of the material ascertained from DNA barcoding to that stated on the product packaging. To this end, the COI sequence of mitochondrial DNA was amplified and sequenced, and compared the sequences produced to reference sequences in NCBI and the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD). Results The barcode identity of all insects that were farmed was consistent with the packaging label. In contrast, disparity between barcode identity and package contents was revealed in two cases of foraged material (mopane worm and winged termites). One case of very broad family-level description was also highlighted, where material described as grasshopper was identified as Locusta migratoria from DNA barcode. Conclusion Overall these data indicate the need to establish tight protocols to validate product identity in this developing market. Maintaining biosafety and consumer confidence rely on accurate and consistent product labelling that provides a clear chain of information from producer to consumer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chayapol Tungphatthong ◽  
Santhosh Kumar J. Urumarudappa ◽  
Supita Awachai ◽  
Thongchai Sooksawate ◽  
Suchada Sukrong

AbstractMitragyna speciosa (Korth.) Havil. [MS], or “kratom” in Thai, is the only narcotic species among the four species of Mitragyna in Thailand, which also include Mitragyna diversifolia (Wall. ex G. Don) Havil. [MD], Mitragyna hirsuta Havil. [MH], and Mitragyna rotundifolia (Roxb.) O. Kuntze [MR]. M. speciosa is a tropical tree belonging to the Rubiaceae family and has been prohibited by law in Thailand. However, it has been extensively covered in national and international news, as its abuse has become more popular. M. speciosa is a narcotic plant and has been used as an opium substitute and traditionally used for the treatment of chronic pain and various illnesses. Due to morphological disparities in the genus, the identification of plants in various forms, including fresh leaves, dried leaf powder, and finished products, is difficult. In this study, DNA barcoding combined with high-resolution melting (Bar-HRM) analysis was performed to differentiate M. speciosa from allied Mitragyna and to assess the capability of Bar-HRM assays to identify M. speciosa in suspected kratom or M. speciosa-containing samples. Bar-HRM analysis of PCR amplicons was based on the ITS2, rbcL, trnH-psbA, and matK DNA barcode regions. The melting profiles of ITS2 amplicons were clearly distinct, which enabled the authentication and differentiation of Mitragyna species from allied species. This study reveals that DNA barcoding coupled with HRM is an efficient tool with which to identify M. speciosa and M. speciosa-containing samples and ensure the safety and quality of traditional Thai herbal medicines.



Author(s):  
Qian Tang ◽  
Qi Luo ◽  
Qian Duan ◽  
Lei Deng ◽  
Renyi Zhang

Nowadays, the global fish consumption continues to rise along with the continuous growth of the population, which has led to the dilemma of overfishing of fishery resources. Especially high-value fish that are overfished are often replaced by other fish. Therefore, the accurate identification of fish products in the market is a problem worthy of attention. In this study, full-DNA barcoding (FDB) and mini-DNA barcoding (MDB) used to detect the fraud of fish products in Guiyang, Guizhou province in China. The molecular identification results showed that 39 of the 191 samples were not consistent with the labels. The mislabelling of fish products for fresh, frozen, cooked and canned were 11.70%, 20.00%, 34.09% and 50.00%, respectively. The average kimura 2 parameter distances of MDB within species and genera were 0.27% and 5.41%, respectively; while average distances of FDB were 0.17% within species and 6.17% within genera. In this study, commercial fraud is noticeable, most of the high-priced fish were replaced of low-priced fish with a similar feature. Our study indicated that DNA barcoding is a valid tool for the identification of fish products and that it allows an idea of conservation and monitoring efforts, while confirming the MDB as a reliable tool for fish products.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonexay Rasphone ◽  
Long Thanh Dang ◽  
Hoan Nguyen ◽  
Ngoc Quang Nguyen ◽  
Oanh Thi Duong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA is one of the most commonly used DNA markers in plant phylogenetic and DNA barcoding analyses, and it has been recommended as a core plant DNA barcode. To compare and find out the analysis genetic diversity difference some pepper individuals collected in different localities in Vietnam when using the ITS of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The ITS gene region from the nuclear genomes were tested for their suitability as DNA barcoding regions of thirty-nine pepper individuals. Universal primers were used, and sequenced products were analyzed using the Maximum Likelihood method and Tamura-Nei model in the MEGA X program.Results: We did not observe high variability in intraspecific distance within the ITSu1-4 gene region between individuals, ranged from 0.000 to 0.155 (mean = 0.033). The size of the gene region has fluctuated from 667 to 685 bp between different individuals with the percentage (G + C) contained in the ITSu1-4 gene region was ranged from 54.776% to 60.805%, mean = 60.174%. The values of Fu’s Fs, D, Fu and Li’s D* and F* were negative as well (Fs = -0.209, D = -1.824; P < 0.05, D* = -1.205; not significant, P > 0.10 and F* = -1.699; not significant, 0.10 > P > 0.05), indicating an excess of recently derived haplotypes and suggesting that either population expansion or background selection has occurred. The value Strobeck’s S the obtained between individuals in a population is high (S = 0.684). The results of evolutionary relationships of taxa obtained 3 groups with the highest value of Fst is shown in the pairs of groups II and III (Fst = 0.151), and the lowest is in groups II and I (Fst = 0.015). All of the new sequences have been deposited in GeneBank under the following accession numbers MZ636718 to MZ636756.Conclusions: This database is an important resource for researchers working on Species of pepper in Vietnam and also provides a tool to create ITSu1-4 databases for any given taxonomy.



Author(s):  
Sara Ugolotti ◽  
Giuseppe Vignali

"The aim of this work is to evaluate the shelf life of cow’s ricotta under MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging). MAP is a packaging technique commonly used in the food industry in order to control the microbial growth. After the extraction of the air present in the headspace of the package, a mixture of CO2, O2 and N2 in different percentage is usually introduced before the packaging sealing. Based on these premises, a design of experimental tests has been created in order to evaluate the effect of each process parameters. To perform these test, it is also required the creation of thermoformed trays (made with a multilayer material using PET/EVOH/PE) in which the ricotta was inserted and packaged in a modified atmosphere. After the time intervals established in the experimental program, the analysis of the MAP was carried out using a special instrument (“Oxybaby” made by Witt SpA), able to measure the quantity of gas present in the headspace of the thermoformed trays. Then a statistical analysis of the obtained results was carried out. The results showed that after 10 days the product was edible for all types of atmosphere, but at 20 and, especially, at 30 days, even in the trays wrapped with CO2, the product was not acceptable for human consumption. One of the possible solutions, in order to lengthen the shelf life of cow’s ricotta, consists in the pre-sterilization of the trays before the product packaging with a solution of H2O2."



Oryx ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-2 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.J. Milner-Gulland

Is bushmeat just another conservation bandwagon?There is currently great interest in the sustainability of bushmeat hunting (bushmeat being any wild animal by hunted for human consumption). All the big conservation ‘players’ have contributed to the debate, issued statements or funded research. IUCN's World Conservation Congress in October 2000 and the CITES Bushmeat Conference of the Parties in April 2000 both discussed bushmeat. Both organisations have since sponsored initiatives in West and Central Africa aimed at obtaining action on the issue. Major conservation organisations are funding research, including the Wildlife Conservation Society (which has a long track-record in this field) and Conservation International. The World Bank has commissioned a major report on the issue (Bennett & Robinson, 2000). Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is a partner in a UK government-commissioned project identifying priority research areas. Conservation organisations have formed the US-based Bushmeat Crisis Task Force (see http://www.bushmeat.org), of which FFI is a member, and the UK-based Bushmeat Working Group of the Tropical Forest Forum (see http://www.forestforum.org.uk), where academic conservationists and government policy makers can exchange experience and ideas.



Author(s):  
Aldona Zawojska

The article is a contribution to the discussion on the anticipated consequences of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union for Poland’s trade relations with this country, with particular emphasis on the likely impacts of a hard or no-deal Brexit on Polish exporters. Its aim is to provide readers with an understanding of how agri-food flows between Poland and the UK (especially Poland’s exports) could be affected once the UK departs the EU. The question is important considering that, in recent years, the UK has been the second biggest importer and a net importer of agricultural and food products from Poland. The study is based on trade data from the UN Comtrade Database and Poland’s Central Statistical Office, and on tariff data from the UK’s Department for International Trade. Taking into account the possible imposition of customs duties announced thus far by the British government on the import of agri-food products from third countries in the event of a no-trade agreement with the EU, the introduction of additional non-tariff barriers, as well as increased transactional (friction) costs and complexity of doing business with foreign partners, a hard Brexit would have serious implications for Poland’s fast growing agri-food exports to the UK. It would even lead to a collapse of some Polish supplies, particularly of meat and dairy commodities, to Great Britain. The loss of two-way preferences in trade now arising from participation in the EU single market will undermine the competitiveness of Polish producers on UK’s market both against British producers and lower cost exporters from outside the EU.



Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2023
Author(s):  
Suwimol Thariwong ◽  
Aekkhaluck Intharuksa ◽  
Panee Sirisa-ard ◽  
Wannaree Charoensup ◽  
Sunee Chansakaow

The Pikad Tri-phol-sa-mut-than (TS) remedy, a Thai traditional medicine, is officially recorded in Tamra Paetsart Sonkrau Chabub Anurak for its capabilities in treating kidney deficiency. TS remedy is composed of three fruit species—Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa., Coriandrum sativum L., and Morinda citrifolia L.—in an equal part by weight. The quality of the raw material is one of the essential factors that can affect the effectiveness and safety of treatment by herbal remedy. The pharmacognostic evaluation and DNA barcode of the three fruit species and TS remedy were performed in this study to authenticate them from contamination, and to provide the scientific database for further uses. Macroscopic and microscopic examination, chemical profile by TLC, and DNA barcoding were employed to positively identify the raw materials bought from the herbal market, especially the powder form. Consequently, the outcomes of this investigation can be used to develop an essential and effective tool for the authentication of crude drugs and herbal remedies.



2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwan Delrieu-Trottin ◽  
Jeffrey T. Williams ◽  
Diane Pitassy ◽  
Amy Driskell ◽  
Nicolas Hubert ◽  
...  

AbstractThe emergence of DNA barcoding and metabarcoding opened new ways to study biological diversity, however, the completion of DNA barcode libraries is fundamental for such approaches to succeed. This dataset is a DNA barcode reference library (fragment of Cytochrome Oxydase I gene) for 2,190 specimens representing at least 540 species of shore fishes collected over 10 years at 154 sites across the four volcanic archipelagos of French Polynesia; the Austral, Gambier, Marquesas and Society Islands, a 5,000,000 km2area. At present, 65% of the known shore fish species of these archipelagoes possess a DNA barcode associated with preserved, photographed, tissue sampled and cataloged specimens, and extensive collection locality data. This dataset represents one of the most comprehensive DNA barcoding efforts for a vertebrate fauna to date. Considering the challenges associated with the conservation of coral reef fishes and the difficulties of accurately identifying species using morphological characters, this publicly available library is expected to be helpful for both authorities and academics in various fields.



2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juha Salokannel ◽  
Kyung Min Lee ◽  
Aki Rinne ◽  
Marko Mutanen

Abstract Large-scale global efforts on DNA barcoding have repeatedly revealed unexpected patterns of variability in mtDNA, including deep intraspecific divergences and haplotype sharing between species. Understanding the evolutionary causes behind these patterns calls for insights from the nuclear genome. While building a near-complete DNA barcode library of Finnish caddisflies, a case of barcode-sharing and some cases of deep intraspecific divergences were observed. In this study, the Apatania zonella (Zetterstedt, 1840) group and three Limnephilus Leach, 1815 species were studied using double digest RAD sequencing (ddRAD-seq), morphology, and DNA barcoding. The results support the present species boundaries in the A. zonella group species. A morphologically distinct but mitogenetically nondistinct taxon related to parthenogenetic Apatania hispida (Forsslund, 1930) got only weak support for its validity as a distinct species. The morphology and genomic-scale data do not indicate cryptic diversity in any of the three Limnephilus species despite the observed deep intraspecific divergences in DNA barcodes. This demonstrates that polymorphism in mtDNA may not reflect cryptic diversity, but mitonuclear discordance due to other evolutionary causes.



2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biljana Rimcheska ◽  
Yanka Vidinova

This research provides pivotal molecular genetic data on the community structure of aquatic insects from semi-mountainous and mountainous rivers from the 6th Ecoregion that belongs to the territory of North Macedonia. The aim of this research is to fill the gaps for barcoding the aquatic macroinvertebrates from the Balkan Peninsula and check if the existing barcode library could provide improved identifications for the specimens that were not taxonomically determined to the lowest level possible. We analyzed 95 specimens from which total DNA was extracted and the COI barcode region amplified and sequenced. The taxa were selected from 20 different localities of the territory of western part of North Macedonia. The selected specimens were not determined to species-level in order to test the efficiency of the DNA barcoding methodology and what is missing in the DNA barcoding data library. From the result from one plate (95 specimens) we obtained: 16 samples without barodes, or failed and 10 samples did not have a match in the BOLD database. In the remining 69 samples, three were misidentified. In the total of 69 barcoded species new for the fauna of North Macedonia, 11 are mayflies: Baetis melanonyx, Ecdyonurus vitoshensis, E. macani; stonefly Isoperla vjose; and caddisflies: Agapetus delicatulus, Athripsodes bilineatus, Glossosoma klotho, Lepidostoma basale, Helicopsyche bacescui, Tinodes unicolor and Odontocerum hellenicum. We have also four rarely found species: Zwicknia bifrons, Drussus tenellus, Hydropsyche botosaneanui and Hydropsyche bulbifera, and one species without barcode available as Ecdyonurus sp. SK2 (potential new species). We found 83% efficiency of DNA barcoding, where some samples failed or were with low or medium quality for some specimens, as for the representatives from the genera Baetis, Oxietyra and Rhyacophila. In conclusion we can confirm that 10 of the selected vouchers need to be further identified by morphology and to be added in the BOLD barcode library, and maybe we'll have the possibility to describe a new species as well.



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