Development of a real-time LAMP assay for monofloral honey authentication using rape honey

Authors: WANG, YONGZHEN - Xuchang University; ZHANG, MENG - Xuchang University; WANG, DEGUO - Xuchang University; ZHANG, YONGQING - Xuchang University; JIAO, XUEXUE - Xuchang University; Liu, Yanhong

Submitted to: CyTA - Journal of Food
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/25/2020
Publication Date: 5/6/2020
Citation: Wang, Y., Zhang, M., Wang, D., Zhang, Y., Jiao, X., Liu, Y. 2020. Development of a real-time LAMP assay for monofloral honey authentication using rape honey. CyTA - Journal of Food. https://doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2020.1749135.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2020.1749135

Interpretive Summary: Honey is a food of high nutritional quality that is consumed all around the world. Food fraud is a major concern for honey consumers, as high value, monofloral honeys are often adulterated with cheaper, low quality components. Rape (canola flower) honey is a lower quality honey that is sometimes added to higher value monofloral honeys. Detection of adulterant DNA can be used to detect food fraud. Here we report a DNA-based detection method a for detection of rape honey in monofloral honeys. The method employs a very sensitive and specific DNA detection method called LAMP (Loop mediated isothermal amplification). Our results show that the developed LAMP assay has the potential to be used as a simple screening method for rape honey as an adulterant of monofloral honeys to protect consumers from food fraud.

Technical Abstract: Methods for authentication of honey and detection of honey adulterants are important to protect consumers from commercial honey adulteration. The use of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in food safety and quality is increasing. The objective of this study was to establish a real-time LAMP assay for authentication of rape (Brassica napus) honey. Six specific LAMP primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of Brassica napus were designed. The specificity of the primers was tested using genomic DNA of Brassica napus, Ziziphus jujuba, Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia tuan, Vitex negundo, Zea mays, Oryza sativa, Manihot esculenta, and Beta vulgaris. The LAMP reaction temperature was also optimized, and the detection limit of the LAMP assay was determined using a serial dilution of genomic DNA from honey adulterated with rice molasses. The results showed that the real-time LAMP assay can accurately and specifically detect the rape component in honey with a detection limit of 1%. Data from monofloral honey samples indicate that the real-time LAMP assay was 100% in concordance with the reported real-time PCR method. This study provides a promising solution for facilitating the authentication of rape honey in food retail market.