Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A TaqMan Real-Time PCR Assay for Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) as an Authenticity Test for Detection of Traces of Persipan in Marzipan

  • Published:
Food Analytical Methods Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Almond (Prunus dulcis), typically used in marzipan, is becoming more valuable by increasing global demand. As a consequence, substitution with cheaper alternatives is a common practice. Marzipan can be adulterated with apricot (Prunus armeniaca) or peach (Prunus persica), because of similar characteristics. Both species are closely related to almond; however, small differences in non-specific lipid transfer protein (LTP), used as target sequence for a qPCR test, can be noticed. In this study, a TaqMan qPCR method for specific detection of apricot in marzipan was developed. After optimization, specificity and sensitivity tests were carried out on real samples and the limit of detection was determined. The TaqMan qPCR method showed high specificity for apricot and was able to detect as low as 1% persipan in marzipan.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arumuganathan K, Earle ED (1991) Nuclear DNA content of some important plant species. Plant Mol Biol Report 9:208–218

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baird WV, Estager AS, Wells JK (1994) Estimating nuclear DNA content in peach and related diploid species using laser flow cytometry and DNA hybridization. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 119:1312–1316

    Google Scholar 

  • Boukhchina S, Sebai K, Cherif A, Kallel H, Mayer PM (2004) Identification of glycerophospholipids in rapeseed, olive, almond, and sunflower oils by LC-MS and LC-MS-MS. Can J Chem 82:1210–1215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brezna B, Smid J, Costa J, Radvanszky J, Mafra I, Kuchta T (2015) In silico and experimental evaluation of DNA-based detection methods for the ability to discriminate almond from other Prunus spp. Mol Cell Probes 29:99–115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruning P, Haase I, Matissek R, Fischer M (2011) Marzipan: polymerase chain reaction-driven methods for authenticity control. J Agric Food Chem 59:11910–11917

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa J, Mafra I, Beatriz M (2012) High resolution melting analysis as a new approach to detect almond DNA encoding for Pru du 5 allergen in foods. Food Chem 133:1062–1069

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson A (1999) The Oxford companion to food, First Edition edn. Oxford university press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurfinger T, Letan A (1973) Detection of adulteration of almond oil with apricot oil through determination of tocopherols. J Agric Food Chem 21:1120–1123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haase I, Bruning P, Matissek R, Fischer M (2013) Real-time PCR assays for the quantitation of rDNA from apricot and other plant species in marzipan. J Agric Food Chem 61:3414–3418

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janick J, Schery RW, Woods FW, Ruttan VW (1974) Plant science. An introduction to world crops, Second Edition edn. W. H. Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirchhoff E, Weber W, Kleinert T, Kruse L, Meyer G, Mueller M (1998) Detection and determination of apricot kernels in marzipan products by using isoelectric focusing and PCR. Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau 94:132–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Leitsätze für Ölsamen und daraus hergestellte Massen und Süßwaren (2010) Deutsche Lebensmittelbuch-Kommission, BAnz, No. 239a

  • Lockley AK, Bardsley RG (2000) DNA-based methods for food authentication. Trends Food Sci Technol 11:67–77

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • López-Calleja IM, de la Cruz S, Pegels N, González I, Martín R, García T (2014) Sensitive and specific detection of almond (Prunus dulcis) in commercial food products by real-time PCR. LWT Food Sci Technol 56:31–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luber F, Demmel A, Hosken A, Busch U, Engel KH (2012) Apricot DNA as an indicator for persipan: detection and quantitation in marzipan using ligation-dependent probe amplification. J Agric Food Chem 60:5853–5858

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mafra I, Ferreira IPLVO, MBP O (2008) Food authentication by PCR-based methods. Eur Food Res Technol 227:649–665

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Potter D et al (2007) Phylogeny and classification of Rosaceae. Plant Syst Evol 266:5–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roder M, Vieths S, Holzhauser T (2011) Sensitive and specific detection of potentially allergenic almond (Prunus dulcis) in complex food matrices by Taqman real-time polymerase chain reaction in comparison to commercially available protein-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anal Chim Acta 685:74–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salcedo G, Sanchez-Monge R, Barber D, Diaz-Perales A (2007) Plant non-specific lipid transfer proteins: an interface between plant defence and human allergy. Biochim Biophys Acta 1771:781–791

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Agriculture ARS (2014) USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata. Accessed 18/01/2016

  • Van Gansbeke B (2012) Private communication Markelbach & Corne. Wilrijk, Belgium

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber W, Hauser W (2007) Bestimmung von Aprikosenkernbestandteilen in Marzipan und Marzipanvorstuten mittels Realtime-(Sonden)-PCR. Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau 107:416–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Zlatanov M, Janakieva I (1998) Phospholipid composition of some fruit-stone oils of Rosaceae species. Lipid / Fett 100:312–315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Markelbach & Corne group, and especially Eric Van Gansbeke and his team for providing the samples of the almonds, apricot kernels, persipan and marzipan. We also thank SVZ Rijkevorsel NV for providing the sour cherry kernels. Furthermore, the first author thanks Dr. Corinne Vander Wauven who kindly guided him into the theoretical part of his master thesis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculteit Industriële Ingenieurswetenschappen, KU Leuven, Campus Groep T Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Bart Van Gansbeke & Guido Bény

  2. Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 115, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium

    Marc De Loose & Isabel Taverniers

Authors
  1. Bart Van Gansbeke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guido Bény
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marc De Loose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Isabel Taverniers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Isabel Taverniers.

Ethics declarations

Funding

This study was funded by the ILVO. ILVO is a governmental body, and this research is a part of the social commitment towards the society.

Conflict of Interest

Bart Van Gansbeke declares that he has no conflict of interest. Abhishek Dutta declares that he has no conflict of interest. Guido Bény declares that he has no conflict of interest. Marc De Loose declares that he has no conflict of interest. Isabel Taverniers declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed Consent

Not applicable.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Van Gansbeke, B., Bény, G., De Loose, M. et al. A TaqMan Real-Time PCR Assay for Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) as an Authenticity Test for Detection of Traces of Persipan in Marzipan. Food Anal. Methods 11, 62–68 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-017-0964-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-017-0964-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation