FOOD. Science. Technology. Quality

Food. SCIENCE. Technology. Quality

Food. Science. TECHNOLOGY. Quality

Food. Science. Technology. QUALITY

Authors

ANNA KONONIUK, ALEKSANDRA BOCIAN, MAŁGORZATA KARWOWSKA, TADEUSZ DRZAZGA

Title

Species-specific protein markers as potential molecular tool for authenticity control of spelt products

Abstract

The growing interest in organic food causes the popularity increase in products made from spelt wheat grain, which are characterized by good nutritional values. Because of the high similarity between common wheat and spelt wheat, it is difficult to distinguish them in flour products; so, it seems advisable to search for species-specific markers that could facilitate the distinction between them. In the paper, an attempt was made to distinguish between the common wheat (Triticum aestivum) and the spelt wheat (Triticum spelta) on the basis of electrophoretic analyses of storage proteins found in kernels. The research material consisted of the kernels of 10 common wheat breeding lines and of 8 spelt wheat breeding lines. Fractionation techniques of wheat storage proteins were applied to isolate proteins. Next, electrophoretic separations were performed of the subsequent fractions of proteins: albumins and globulins, gliadins, and glutenins. After the completed electrophoresis, the gels were stained and there were compared the protein profiles obtained from T. aestivum and T. spelta to identify potential protein markers. Based on the results obtained, it is not possible to unmistakably determine the occurrence of a protein marker that distinguishes the common wheat from the spelt wheat. However, those results might provide a basis to discuss the application of more advanced electrophoretic techniques (A-PAGE and 2D electrophoresis) in order to develop markers. The results as presented in the paper could help develop a method to identify protein subunits being specific for spelt wheat facilitating the detection of food adulteration.

Keywords

common wheat, spelt wheat, electrophoresis of proteins, food adulteration, species-specific protein markers

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