Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry
Online ISSN : 1347-6947
Print ISSN : 0916-8451
Analytical Chemistry Regular Paper
PCR Method for Detecting Trace Amounts of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.) in Food
Takashi HIRAOShinsuke IMAIHiroshi SAWADANobuo SHIOMISatoshi HACHIMURAHisanori KATO
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2005 Volume 69 Issue 4 Pages 724-731

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Abstract

Buckwheat often causes severe allergic reactions, even when its ingestion level is extremely low. Therefore, buckwheat is listed in several countries as a common food allergen. In addition to common buckwheat and Tartarian buckwheat that are cultivated and consumed widely, wild buckwheat may be potentially allergenic. Food containing undeclared buckwheat poses a risk to patients with the buckwheat allergy. We describe in this report a PCR method to detect buckwheat DNA by using primers corresponding to the internal transcribed spacer region and the 5.8S rRNA gene. The method is buckwheat-specific and compatible with both cultivated and wild buckwheat of the Fagopyrum spp. Its sensitivity was sufficient to detect 1 ppm (w/w) of buckwheat DNA spiked in wheat DNA. This method should benefit food manufacturers, clinical doctors, and allergic patients by providing information on the presence of buckwheat contamination in food.

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© 2005 by Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry
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