Molecular methods for detecting guar gum additions to locust bean gum

A method for specifically distinguishing guar seeds from other seeds, said method comprising the steps of:

• i) germinating seeds of a plant to form germinated seeds;
• ii) extracting DNA from the germinated seeds to form extracted DNA;
• iii) preparing guar-specific primers that are identical to a portion of guar plant sequence AJ245577 (SEQ ID NO:
• 9) or AJ245578 (SEQ ID NO:
• 7) but different from portion of carob tree sequence AJ245575 (SEQ ID NO:
• 8) or AJ245576 (SEQ ID NO:
• 10) that aligns with the portion of guar plant sequence
• iv) amplifying the extracted DNA from step ii using the guar-specific primers from step iii to form rDNA amplification products;
• and
• v) detecting the rDNA amplification products, thereby specifically distinguishing guar seeds.

A method for detecting the presence of guar gum (E 412) alone or mixed with locust bean gum (E 410) in a gum sample, said method comprising the steps of:

• i) extracting DNA from a gum sample;
• ii) amplifying the DNA using guar-specific primers that are identical to a portion of guar plant sequence AJ245577 (SEQ ID NO:
• 9) or AJ245578 (SEQ ID NO:
• 7) to form amplified DNA;
• iii) detecting the amplification products in the amplified DNA that are specific to guar.

A method for obtaining extracted DNA from gum samples comprising one or more of guar gum (E 412) and locust bean gum (E 410), comprising the steps of:

• i) contacting a gum sample comprising DNA and one or more of guar gum (E 412) and locust bean gum (E 410) with an aqueous solution to form an extraction mixture;
• ii) agitating the extraction mixture at a temperature between 0° C. and 100° C. for a time period sufficient to permit extraction of DNA from the gum sample into the aqueous solution;
• iii) separating the extraction mixture to obtain an aqueous solution containing extracted DNA and another phase;
• and
• iv) recovering a sample of the aqueous solution containing extracted DNA.