Lactic Acid Bacterial Strain Authentication via Insertion Sequence Markers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for authenticating dairy products are inadequate in distinguishing genuine from counterfeit products, as they may share similar ingredients or quality, making differentiation difficult.

Innovation Solution

The use of lactic acid bacterial strains with uniquely located insertion sequence elements as markers, where specific primer pairs are employed for PCR amplification to identify the presence or absence of these strains in dairy products, allowing for authentication and proof of origin.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional authentication methods (vitamins, saccharides, dyes, isotopes) are used to authenticate dairy products, then the authentication process can be performed, but the ability to distinguish genuine from counterfeit products is inadequate because counterfeit products may share similar ingredients or quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication accuracyVSAvoiddifferentiation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and utilizes naturally occurring insertion sequence (IS) elements from specific lactic acid bacterial strains that are inherently present in genuine dairy products. By targeting these unique genetic markers through PCR amplification, the method extracts a reliable differentiating feature that cannot be easily replicated in counterfeit products, thereby resolving the contradiction between authentication capability and differentiation reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces PCR amplification as an intermediary technique to detect the presence of specific IS elements. This intermediary method amplifies the unique genetic markers from the lactic acid bacteria, making them detectable and providing a reliable basis for authentication that overcomes the limitations of direct detection of ingredients or isotopes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If IS elements are used as strain-specific markers for authentication, then rapid and efficient identification can be achieved, but the method requires specific primer pairs and PCR conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication speedVSAvoidPCR method complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention performs preliminary action by designing and providing specific primer pairs that are ready for use in detecting the IS elements. These pre-designed primers target the unique insertion sequences, allowing the authentication process to proceed rapidly without requiring complex primer design or optimization during the actual authentication, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method provides a rapid and efficient means to authenticate dairy products by detecting the presence of specific lactic acid bacterial strains, ensuring the authenticity and origin of the product through PCR amplification reactions.

Implementation Method 1

performing a PCR amplification reaction with said primer pair of step under conditions suitable to produce an amplification product when said uniquely located IS element is present in said nucleic acid sample

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPCR amplification:

Data Source

PatentEP2483423B1Authentication method of dairy products
Publication Date: 2015.12.16 AGROSCOPE LIEBEFELD POSIEUX ALP

AI summary

The present invention relates to a new method of establishing the authenticity and origin of dairy products, more specifically to the use of lactic acid bacterial strains having strain-specific insertion sequence elements as tools for marking dairy products (such as cheese) and identification thereof. The invention also extends to new lactic acid bacterial strains, their use in the production of dairy products as well as the dairy products containing these bacterial strains.