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Detection of Penicillium species in complex food samples using the polymerase chain reaction
L H Pedersen1, P Skouboe, M Boysen
1Biotechnological Institute, Lyngby, Denmark.
Abstract:
Rapid identification of filamentous fungi is becoming increasingly important in food mycology both for monitoring the production process and for the identification of food spoilers. This paper describes the development and trial of two specific PCR primer sets. A 336 bp fragment from species belonging to Penicillium subgenus Penicillium was amplified by the primers ITS 212d and ITS 549. The other primer set, ITS 183 and ITS 401 specifically identified two species, Penicillium roqueforti and P. carneum, both known as spoilers in the bread industry, by amplification of a 300 bp fragment. The future perspectives of PCR based identification of filamentous fungi in food are discussed.
Insights
New polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets enable rapid identification of filamentous fungi in food. These tools help monitor food production and detect spoilage organisms like Penicillium species.
Area of Science:
- Food Mycology
- Molecular Biology
- Applied Microbiology
Background:
- Accurate identification of filamentous fungi is crucial for food safety and quality control.
- Traditional methods for fungal identification can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
- Emerging molecular techniques offer faster and more specific detection methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets for the rapid identification of filamentous fungi in food.
- To target common food spoilage fungi, including Penicillium species.
- To assess the utility of PCR in routine food mycology analysis.
Main Methods:
- Development of two novel primer sets targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of fungal ribosomal DNA.
- Primer set 1 (ITS 212d and ITS 549) amplified a 336 bp fragment for Penicillium subgenus Penicillium identification.
- Primer set 2 (ITS 183 and ITS 401) amplified a 300 bp fragment for specific identification of Penicillium roqueforti and P. carneum.
Main Results:
- Successfully amplified specific DNA fragments using the developed primer sets.
- Primer set 1 demonstrated efficacy in identifying species within the Penicillium subgenus Penicillium.
- Primer set 2 accurately identified Penicillium roqueforti and P. carneum, known bread spoilage agents.
Conclusions:
- The developed PCR primer sets provide a rapid and specific method for identifying key filamentous fungi in food.
- These molecular tools can significantly improve food safety monitoring and spoilage detection processes.
- PCR-based identification holds promise for future applications in food mycology.