Identification of zucchini varieties in commercial food products by DNA typing

The aims of this work were to identify zucchini varieties in commercial products by a means of Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) analysis and to provide indications for the statistical interpretation of a match. We assessed the efficacy of SSRs analyzing some of the most diffused hybrids and open pollinated zucchini varieties. SSRs were also screened for transferability in DNA isolated from edible organs of different plant species that are frequently present in food products containing zucchini. Moreover, we demonstrate the possibility to identify the variety in food products of different origins. The statistical evaluation on the rarity of DNA profiles in zucchini indicated that the genetic match presented in this work cannot be attributed to chance alone. Based on this evidence, the advantages and pitfalls of food DNA typing for variety identification of a horticultural crop are discussed.