Assessing Adoption of DNA Barcoding in Herbal Value Chain: A Multi-stakeholder Analysis

Abstract

Due to its accuracy and expert-authenticated validation mechanism, DNA barcoding technology is advocated to be superior to existing methods of species identification. While DNA barcoding is generally viewed as valuable innovation in herbal materials authentication, the acceptability and accessibility issues pose a barrier to its uptake into the global herbal regulatory framework. We explore the current status of DNA barcoding technology for quality assurance of herbal materials/products (HM/P) and the challenges of its formal adoption into multi-level policy. We discuss the adulteration problem in the HM/P value chain, an overview of DNA barcoding technology features, and the current use of DNA barcoding from the perspective of four key stakeholders—epistemic group, international bodies, governments, and market agents—practice DNA barcoding technology in the HM/P value chain. The discussion also includes the status of DNA barcoding in the control system of HM/P in the US, EU, and China and some recommendations on how the application of DNA barcoding as quality control/assurance can be deployed in the HM/P value chain.