Abstract Detail

Enriching basic and applied botany through multi-stakeholder collaborations

Handy, Sara [1], Mammel, Mark [2], Windsor, Amanda [3], Knolhoff, Ann [4], Mangrum, Brad [5], Fong Sam, Jennifer [6], McFarland, Melinda [4], Callahan, John [6], Croley, Timothy [6].

Using Genome Skimming to Diagnose Botanical Contamination in a Ugandan Foodborne Illness Outbreak.

In March of 2019, Uganda suffered a foodborne “outbreak” characterized by 4 deaths and approximately 300 illnesses. The incident was characterized by prominent central nervous system symptoms, including hallucinations, aggressive behavior, disorientation, dizziness, convulsions, and loss of consciousness.  In other cases, diarrhea and vomiting were observed.  An epidemiologic investigation done outside of the United States Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA) narrowed the cause to a soy/maize cereal product provided as food aid to Uganda. Further, a chemical or toxin was the suspected cause based on symptomology. In April 2019, researchers from the US-FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) were enlisted to help with the identification of the chemical or toxin. CFSAN identified atropine and scopolamine at part-per-million levels in some “outbreak” associated samples and a botanical source was suspected.  To determine if the potential source of the toxins was botanical, CFSAN continued with a protein approach to broadly look at all plant species present in the sample. Protein identification indicated the presence of seed proteins from the Solanaceae family (nightshade, belladonna, jimsonweed, among others). CFSAN has recently developed a publicly available DNA reference library of annotated chloroplast genome sequences and whole genome skims (GenomeTrakrCP, NCBI Bioproject: PRJNA325670). Using this and other chloroplast data and a broad DNA screening method called genome skimming, Datura Stramonium (jimsonweed) was identified in the samples with atropine content.  These results allowed CFSAN to conclude there was a botanical explanation for the occurrence of this toxin and that it was likely not a purposeful addition of two toxic compounds. The ability to see evidence of toxic species within a mixture of plant species is incredibly valuable for the US-FDA and other stakeholders to link with chemical data. This method is currently being validated.

1 - United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, HFS-717, 5001 Campus Dr., College Park, MD, 20740, United States
2 - United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, HFS-025, 8301 Muirkirk Rd, Laurel, MD, 20708, USA
3 - United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5001 Campus Dr. , College Park, MD, 20740
4 - United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, HFS-706, 5001 Campus Dr., College Park, MD, 20740, USA
5 - Uninted States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, HFS-706, 5001 Campus Dr. , College Park, MD, 20740, USA
6 - United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5001 Campus Dr. , College Park, MD, 20740, USA

Keywords:
food safety
DNA based identification
genome skimming
Datura.

Presentation Type: Colloquium Presentations
Session: COL03, Enriching basic and applied botany through multi-stakeholder collaborations
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Thursday, July 30th, 2020
Time: 11:00 AM
Number: COL03004
Abstract ID:149
Candidate for Awards:None