INESC TEC sensors identify DNA in wines

In 2012, INESC TEC’s Centre for Applied Photonics (CAP) started an innovative project in the biosensors area , in collaboration with the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), the National Institute of Biological Resources (INRB) and SOGRAPE, LDA (Sociedade Agrícola S. Mateus), where the aim is to develop an optical biosensor to detect DNA hybridisation processes which can be used in wine traceability.

The project is called WineBioCode and it is innovative because it combines biosensors and molecular genetics. In this project, the application of DNA traceability techniques is the first option since the DNA makes it possible to unambiguously identify the genetic material present in certain foods. In that sense it can be used as a marker that is present in the entire production and marketing chain of these products. Therefore, this project promotes more meticulous quality control and the detection of fraudulent practices.

The WineBioCode began in March 2012 and will last three years. This project is funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). At INESC TEC, the project is led by José Ramiro Fernandes, a researcher at CAP and lecturer at UTAD.

Photo credits: Photo Dictionary and The Living Wine