Project:

Nanopore-based DNA barcoding of herbal supplements by high schoolers expose undeclared plant ingredients

Students:

Fiona Bellinder, Ashley Martinez

Institution:

Pace University, Manhattan

Mentors:

Jeanmaire Molina

Abstract:

Herbal supplements, also known as herbal medicinal products (HMP) fall under the jurisdiction of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but they are considered dietary supplements and are not regulated like pharmaceutical drugs. For the most part, supplement manufacturers are expected to self-regulate, and ensure that their products are safe to be consumed by the public. This has meant that the ingredients listed on supplement bottles are frequently either partially or entirely false, and can put consumers’ health at risk. In this study, we will test samples of six different herbal supplements each of which claims to contain one or more different plants. We will use Nanopore DNA sequencing to help us identify the plant species contained within the herbal supplements. In doing so, we aim to determine whether the labels are truthful about the contents of the bottle and potentially expose fraudulent products.

Poster:

Team samples: