Identification of meat species in some meat products in Assiut city

ABSTRACT

Meat adulteration constitutes an important problem in Egypt. Adulteration of meat may occur by substitution of low priced or even banned meat species for that high priced one. In this study, agar gel immunodiffusion test [AGID] and polymerase chain reaction [PCR] techniques were applied for detection of meat adulteration. Meat extract from beef, chicken, pork and donkey were prepared. Hyperimmune sera were prepared in rabbits by subcutaneous injection of meat extracts and blood was collected to get the specific antisera. Positive results indicated by appearance of clear precipitation line between the antibody and the corresponding antigen with assurance that no cross reaction occurred between species. Two hundred samples from beef meat products [50 minced meats, 50 raw kofta, 50 sausages and 50 beef burger] were subjected to analysis by AGID technique. The incidence of adulteration of minced meat with each of chicken and pork were 6%. The rate of adulteration was 34% and 26% in raw kofta, 32% and 14% in sausage and 32% and 2% in beef burger, respectively. Donkey meat was detected only in beef burger at rate of 2%. For application of PCR technique specific primers for chicken, pork and donkey meat species were prepared; there molecular weights were 420, 343, and 350 bp, respectively. Deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA] was extracted from tested samples for detection of the previous species in these tested samples. Out of suspected and negative adulterated samples examined by AGID technique, fifty samples were reanalyzed by PCR technique. By using PCR technique the adulteration rates with chicken were 57%, 63.7%, 66.7% and 69% in minced meat, raw kofta, sausages and beef burger, respectively. The adulteration rates with pork were 35.7%, 45.5%, 41.7% and 23% in minced meat, raw kofta, sausages and beef burger, respectively. The adulteration rates with donkey meat were 7%, 18%, 8% and 7.7% in minced meat, raw kofta, sausages and beef burger, respectively