PCR-BASED DNA ANALYSIS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OFFOOD COMPONENTS

Analysis of specific nucleic acids in food allows control laboratories to determine the presence or absence of certain ingredients in comple x products or the identification of specific characteristics of single food components. These analyses are based on nucleic acids probes, in cluding the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which made the detection of minute amounts of degraded nucleic acids and their sequence determi nation possible. In this review, we describe the approaches that have been taken to detect low levels of contaminants such as wheat in dieta ry food for coeliac patients and pork meat or fat in sausages. In addi tion, these methods may also be used for the identification of meat or fish species and the recognition of genetically altered foods, includ ing the FlavrSavr(TM) tomato These examples indicate that a comprehens ive description of food products based on the analysis of nucleic acid s will be feasible. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited.