Identification and Quantitation of Cashmere (Pashmina) Fiber and Wool Using Novel Microchip Based Real-Time PCR Technology

The textile industrial chain all over the world is facing a challenge of differentiating cashmere fiber from mixture of wool and other fibers in case cashmere stocks are adulterated with wool or other fibers. For identification of cashmere in such mixtures, the development of microchip based real-time PCR technology offers a very sensitive, specific, and accurate solution. The technology has been validated with cashmere and wool samples procured from distant farms, and from cashmere goats and sheep of different age and sex. Model samples with incremental raw cashmere or wool content were tested. The experimentally determined content was found to be comparable to the weighed content of the respective fibers in the samples. This technology may prove a cost cutter since it needs only 1.2 μl of the PCR reagent mix. It is substantially faster than traditional real-time PCR systems for being carried as miniature reaction volume in metal microchip. These features allow faster thermal equilibrium and thermal uniformity over the entire array of microreactors. For routine tests or in commercial set up, the microchips are available as ready-to-run with lyophilized reagents in its microreactors to which only 1 μl of the 10-fold diluted isolated DNA sample is added. The lyophilized microchips offer user-friendly handling in testing laboratories and help minimize human error.