In the vast world of wild plants, the line between a delicious meal and a deadly poison can be as thin as a leaf. This is a reality that Su Yeon Kim, a researcher at the Plant Genomics Laboratory of Kangwon National University, understands all too well. Her recent study, published in the journal *Applied Biological Chemistry* (translated as *Applied Biological Chemistry*), tackles a pressing issue in the agricultural and food safety sectors: the dangerous resemblance between edible and toxic plants.
Kim’s research focuses on two particular species: Allium microdictyon, a popular edible wild vegetable in East Asia, and Convallaria majalis, a toxic plant containing cardiac glycosides that can pose a significant threat if mistakenly ingested. The challenge lies in their similar appearance, which can lead to accidental mixing during harvesting or processing. “The consequences of such mix-ups can be severe, even fatal,” Kim emphasizes. “Our goal was to develop a reliable method to distinguish between these two species, ensuring public health and safety.”
The solution Kim and her team propose is a SYBR green-based real-time PCR assay, a molecular technique that amplifies and detects specific DNA sequences. By designing specific primer pairs targeting chloroplast genes unique to each plant, they created a tool that can accurately identify and quantify the presence of either species in a sample. “The specificity, sensitivity, and applicability of our assay were thoroughly evaluated,” Kim explains. “We tested it against 13 non-target plant species and 15 commercial samples to ensure its practicality.”
The results were promising. Six primer sets—three for Allium microdictyon and three for Convallaria majalis—showed strong linearity, with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.98 and PCR efficiencies ranging from 90.80% to 97.85%. The cycle threshold (Ct) values corresponding to 0.1% of the binary mixture were used as the cut-off values, demonstrating the assay’s high sensitivity.
The implications of this research are significant. For the agricultural sector, this method can prevent costly mix-ups during harvesting and processing, ensuring the safety of wild plant products. For the food industry, it provides a reliable quality control measure, protecting consumers from potential poisoning. Moreover, this technique can be adapted to distinguish other toxic and edible plant species, broadening its application in food safety and public health.
As Kim puts it, “Our study is a step towards safer food practices. It’s about leveraging technology to protect people and industries from the dangers lurking in the natural world.” The research not only contributes to the current body of knowledge but also paves the way for future developments in molecular identification techniques, shaping a safer and more secure future for all.