One sample preparation now supports species identification, adulteration detection, allergen screening and microbial ID from a single sequencing output.
Historically, most DNA testing workflows were designed to answer one question at a time. But botanical DNA testing is no longer just a single identity test.
With next-generation sequencing (NGS) and cloud-based bioinformatics, the modern botanical DNA testing platform that LeafWorks has created offers a reusable digital platform capable of generating multiple layers of analysis from a single sample preparation.
Why Single-Endpoint Testing Limits Botanical Analysis
Many analytical systems have traditionally been designed around individual endpoints: one test for species identity, another for adulteration, another for allergens or microbial analysis. Sometimes multiple species can be identified at the same time, sometimes not. And when it can, it is limited to only a handful. NGS approaches like what LeafWorks takes overcomes this testing efficiency hurdle by providing multiple species IDs from across the tree of life from one sample prep.
And with DNA being digital, it is essentially transforming sequencing into data with the utmost utility in getting the supply chain the identity answers they need.
What Third-Generation Botanical DNA Testing Changed
As we discussed in our recent blog on entering the third generation of botanical DNA testing , earlier generations of DNA methods struggled to meet the realities of commercial botanical products. First-generation systems suffered from poor method development, inconsistent implementation and bad interpretation. Second-generation approaches improved accessibility but often relied on PCR-based universal barcoding methods that could fail in processed products with degraded DNA.
Third-generation DNA testing, advanced by LeafWorks, changes that approach by moving beyond universal markers and building systems intentionally designed for commercial botanicals and real-world matrices.
But the next evolution is not just about improving species identification. It’s about what becomes possible once sequencing data itself becomes digital, reusable and scalable.
One Sample Prep, Multiple Analyses
At LeafWorks, sequence data is fully digital and cloud-based. Once sequence data is generated, it can be securely analyzed through the LeafWorks NGS Platform to produce multiple forms of analysis from the same dataset.
That means one sample preparation can support:
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Allergen screening
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Microbial identification
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GMO testing
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Additional future analyses as new workflows are developed
All from the same sequencing output.
In practical terms, this creates a much more flexible testing model for manufacturers and supply-chain partners.
Evergreen Data: Reusing Sequencing Output
Instead of treating DNA testing as a one-time endpoint, sequencing data becomes what we call “evergreen data” — reusable information that can be reanalyzed later as testing needs evolve. New analyses can be applied retroactively without requiring entirely new sequencing workflows.
Species ID and Adulteration Screening in One Run
In one example presented by LeafWorks Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Kerin Law, PhD, at the International Conference on the Science of Botanicals (ICSB) in Oxford, Mississippi, the LeafWorks platform simultaneously performed species identity testing and adulteration screening on a complex capsule blend.
In another example, the same sequencing workflow supported both species identification and allergen detection from a powdered product matrix. Interested in seeing it for yourself? Check out the link to a repeat presentation of this talk in her webinar here.
This included screening for peanut, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, crustacean shellfish and additional FDA-recognized allergen categories, alongside species-level botanical identification. While LeafWorks has not yet launched its Allergen ID Test, it is a taste of what is to come: Identity and safety in one assay.
The ability to generate multiple certificates of analysis (COAs) simultaneously from one sequencing workflow represents an important operational shift for the natural products industry.
Where DNA Testing Fits Alongside Chemistry and Microscopy
The real value is not replacing every existing analytical method. Different testing tools answer different questions, and chemistry, microscopy and other analytical workflows remain incredibly valuable.
Instead, digital DNA infrastructure expands what can be done within a single workflow.
For companies already managing complex ingredient sourcing and increasingly complicated supply chains, this approach can help reduce redundant testing workflows while creating more flexibility in how sequence data is used over time.
Running Sequencing In-House With Cloud-Based Analysis
It also changes how and where testing can happen.
Sequencing equipment is now accessible (talk to LeafWorks about setting up testing in your lab), and because LeafWorks analysis is cloud-based, sequence data can be generated in one location and analyzed securely through the LeafWorks platform from anywhere in the world.
Many companies already perform portions of their testing internally. LeafWorks supports this model through both cloud-based analysis and species-specific reagent kits that can integrate into existing laboratory workflows.
The result is a more scalable and flexible approach to botanical DNA testing: one designed around long-term analytical utility.
For years, the conversation around DNA testing focused on whether DNA “worked” in botanicals.
Today, the more important question may be what else DNA data can do once it becomes part of a digital analytical platform.
From one test to a platform of answers, botanical DNA testing is continuing to evolve, and LeafWorks is leading the way.
