Simple and rapid method for the differentiation of Lens culinaris Medik. by false lentil species.

The practice of using both common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and single-flower vetch (Vicia articulataHornem.) seeds as food or feed is encouraged by the very high resemblance of their seeds withthose of small-seeded lentil cultivars. Among the Vicieae, antinutritional and toxic factors are particularlyimportant, because many species, containing high levels of these compounds, are not safe. A simpleand fast capillary electrophoresis (CE) method was proposed for the differentiation of lentil cultivarsfrom false lentil species (i.e., single-flour vetch and common vetch). Proteins were extracted fromdefatted milled seeds with an alcoholic/saline solution. Extracts were separated in an uncoated fusedsilicacapillary with iminodiacetic acid (IDA) isolectric buffer containing 0.05% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose(HPMC) and 20% acetonitrile. The presented method is useful also for the detection ofcontamination of whole or split seeds of lentil by vetch species. With respect to alternative techniques,such as DNA-based markers or thin-layer chromatography (TLC), CE has the advantages of beingless expensive, faster, and fully automated.