Effects of Horse Meat Hydrolysate on Oxidative Stress, Proinflammatory Cytokines, and the Ubiquitin-Proteasomal System of C2C12 Cells.

Sarcopenia, the age-related muscle atrophy, is a serious concern as it is associated with frailty, reduced physical functions, and increased mortality risk. Protein supplementation is essential for preserving muscle mass, and horse meat can be an excellent source of proteins. Since sarcopenia occurs under conditions of oxidative stress, this study aimed to investigate the potential anti-muscle atrophy effect of horse meat hydrolysate using C2C12 cells. A horse meat hydrolysate less than 3 kDa (A4<3kDa) significantly increased the viability of C2C12 myoblasts against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. Exposure of C2C12 myoblasts to lipopolysaccharide led to an elevation of cellular reactive oxygen species levels and mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6, and these effects were attenuated by A4<3kDa treatment. Additionally, A4<3kDa activated protein synthesis-related proteins through the protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway, while decreasing the expression of activity and degradation-related proteins, such as Forkhead box O3, muscle RING finger protein-1, and Atrogin-1 in dexamethasone-treated C2C12 myotubes. Therefore, the natural material A4<3kDa has the potential ofprotecting against muscle atrophy, while further in vivo study is needed.

Sarcocystis in horses from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: Molecular identification of Sarcocystis bertrami and Sarcocystis neurona in muscle tissues.

Horses are intermediate hosts of Sarcocystis spp. capable of forming cysts in their musculature. This study aimed to detect sarcocysts and investigate the presence of nucleic acids from Sarcocystis spp. in samples of striated muscles from horses in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, necropsied at the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory of the Federal University of Santa Maria. A total of 108 samples were collected from 24 horses and examined through direct examination. Microscopic tissue cysts were observed in three samples: tongue (2) and esophagus (1) from two animals. Extractions were performed on the found cysts and tissues, even though sarcocystosis detection was not present. DNA samples were subjected to Nested-PCR using Tg18s primers, and the amplified products were subjected to Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) using DdeI and HpaII enzymes. DNA belonging to Sarcocystis spp. was amplified in tissues from 91.7% (22/24) of the equines, and 67.6% (73/108) of the samples tested positive in the Nested-PCR reaction. The tissues with the highest detection frequency were: diaphragm 92.3% (12/13), gluteal muscle 77.2% (17/22), and esophagus 66.7% (4/6). In RFLP, Sarcocystis spp. was detected in 21 tissues from 11/22 equines, and cysts, identified through nucleotide sequencing, were determined to be S. bertrami. S. neurona was identified in 11 samples from 7/22 animals, with co-infection detected in 5/22 cases. The high detection rate indicates a concerning circulation of the protozoan, particularly the zoonotic S. bertrami found in all tissues, which are commonly exported for human consumption.

A horse on your plate? A cluster analysis of French consumers hippophagy acceptance.

Hippophagy is a practice that is far from being consensual, even among meat eaters. Horse meat consumption remains limited or is even strongly declining in some countries such as France. However, the nutritional, organoleptic and environmental benefits of this meat invite us to consider horse meat products as a valuable alternative source of protein. This research therefore aims to identify and characterize different profiles of consumers and non-consumers of horse meat in terms of personal values, attitudes, motivations and behaviors. Based on data from a quantitative survey among 482 French meat consumers, we distinguish 4 categories of individuals: "Enthusiast", "Distant", "Aversive" and "Potential". While "Distant" and "Aversive" show a low level of acceptability towards horse meat, "Enthusiast" and "Potential" reveal characteristics that are favorable to horse meat consumption. Targeted strategies to support the horse meat market are proposed and discussed in light of these results that also provide insight into the future for meat in general.

Horsemeat consumption in France: Determinants and sustainable market perspectives.

In France, the horsemeat market has been declining for about 50 years and has become a specialized market. Our study aims to understand this decline with regard to the drivers and practices of consumers and non-consumers of this meat, in order to estimate the potential for this market development. To study horsemeat consumption, we analyze two sets of data: two large-scale surveys carried out on the French general population, and one ad-hoc survey focusing more specifically on the representations of horses and horsemeat. Our results underline the potential for increasing horsemeat consumption from a sustainability perspective. The question of moral acceptance remains a determining factor in the consumption of this meat. Once this factor is taken into account, horsemeat appears relevant in the diversification of animal protein consumption because of its particular nutritional and environmental properties and similar culinary use to that of other red meats. Horsemeat can thus lay claim to becoming a sustainable alternative to beef consumption.

Brazilian Horses from Bahia State Are Highly Infected with Sarcocystis bertrami.

The protozoan Sarcocystis bertrami (syn. Sarcocystis fayeri) infects horses and has dogs as definitive hosts. Herein we aimed to detect S. bertrami in Brazilian horses destined for human consumption and to determine the frequency of infection in the examined animals. Muscle fragments from 51 horses were collected in a slaughterhouse in Bahia State during three different seasons of the year. Samples from six tissues from each animal were prepared for macroscopic and microscopic evaluation, using tissue grinding, squash and histology. Sarcocystis sp. was observed in 100% of the examined horses. Selected samples were processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Species identification was confirmed using a PCR targeted to the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1). Histological examination revealed sarcocysts with variable sizes and shapes, and dispersed within the muscle fibers. When observed by TEM, the sarcocyst wall was wavy and covered by an electrodense layer. The villar protrusions were digitiform and bent. To our knowledge, this study is the first morphological and molecular confirmation of S. bertrami in horses in Brazil and South America.

Validation Parameters of the Magnetic Stirrer Method for Pooled Sample Digestion for Trichinella spp. in Horse Meat Based on Proficiency Tests Results.

Meat of horses may be infested with nematodes of the genus Trichinella spp. and can cause serious disease in humans. Rules for the carcasses sampling of species susceptible to Trichinella spp. infection and examination are laid down in Commission Regulation 1375/2015, where the magnetic stirrer method for pooled-sample digestion is recommended (Commission Regulation 1478/2020). All personnel involved in the examination should be properly trained and participate in quality control programs. Proficiency tests (PTs) play a key role in the quality verification process. This paper presents the results of PTs organized for 68 Polish laboratories in 2014-2019. Results were assessed qualitatively at three levels of sample contamination (0, 3, 5 larvae) and quantitatively at one level (5 larvae). The laboratories have achieved the average correct qualitative results 100%, 96.2% and 96.8% for the samples contaminated with 0, 3 and 5 larvae, respectively. In the quantitative evaluation, an average 94.1% of the reported results were correct. The data from PTs enabled us to define, for the first time, validation parameters of the digestion method for the horse meat matrix in a large-scale experiment including: specificity (100%), sensitivity (95.6%), accuracy (97.1%), the limit of detection (LOD) (1.14 ≈ 1) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) (3.42 ≈ 3).

Characterization of a new bacteriocin-like inhibitory peptide produced by Lactobacillus sakei B-RKM 0559.

The biopreservation strategy allows extending the shelf life and food safety through the use of indigenous or controlled microbiota and their antimicrobial compounds. The aim of this work was to characterize an inhibitory substance with bacteriocin-like activity (Sak-59) produced by the potentially probiotic L. sakei strain from artisanal traditional Kazakh horse meat product Kazy. The maximum production of Sak-59 occurred at the stationary phase of the L. sakei growth. Sak-59 showed inhibitory activity against gram-positive meat spoilage bacteria strains of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and pathogenic gram-negative bacteria strains of Serratia marcescens and Escherichia coli, but not against the tested Lactobacilli strains. Sak-59 activity, as measured by diffusion assay in agar wells, was completely suppressed after treatment with proteolytic enzymes and remained stable after treatment with α-amylase and lipase, indicating that Sak-59 is a peptide and most likely not glycosylated or lipidated. It was concluded that Sak-59 is a potential new bacteriocin with a characteristic activity spectrum, which can be useful in the food and feed industries.

Influence of Horse Age, Marinating Substances, and Frozen Storage on Horse Meat Quality.

The present study analyzed the influence of horse age, substances used for marinating, and frozen storage on the quality of horse meat. It was conducted on the samples of the longest thoracic muscle, obtained from 12 carcasses of horses (aged 4-7 and 8-12 years). Among the analyzed samples, a higher fat content (p < 0.05) was found in the meat obtained from the carcasses of older horses. The pH value of the meat samples was influenced by the treatment applied (p < 0.05). Of the substances used for marinating, malic acid caused a decrease in the pH of the meat obtained from young horses (p < 0.05). A similar effect was observed with the addition of phosphates to malic acid-marinated meat. On the other hand, the use of phosphates for marinating resulted in an increase in the pH of the meat obtained from older horses (p < 0.05). The substances used for marinating the horse meat did not significantly affect the reduction in cutting force values. Furthermore, the values of shear force, hardness, stiffness, gumminess, and chewiness of the meat increased with horse age (p < 0.05). An influence on the color parameters a* and b* of the meat was found for the interaction between age, storage period, and the type of treatment (p < 0.05). The use of lactic acid and malic acid for marinating the meat of young horses caused a decrease in the proportion of red color (4.67 and 3.43) and an increase in the proportion of yellow color (3.81 and 1.71), especially after 3 months of freezer storage. All the substances used for marinating (except for phosphates) were associated with higher (p < 0.05) thermal and forced drips of meat from the carcasses of both young and older horses during each storage period, in comparison to the control. The interaction between age and the type of treatment had an influence on the tenderness and juiciness of the horse meat (p < 0.05). In sensory evaluation, it was noted that the interaction between age and the treatment procedure influenced the tenderness and juiciness of the meat samples (p < 0.05). There is still a need for further research to increase knowledge regarding how to improve the quality of horse meat, and ultimately increase the demand from consumers and meat processing plants.

Effect of three different proteases on horsemeat tenderness during postmortem aging.

In this study, the semitendinosus of horse meat was used as the raw material. The study assessed the variation of the tenderness of horse meat during postmortem aging through the injection of papain, bromelain and fungal protease. The cooking loss of the horse meat became worse during postmortem aging. Low concentration of protease improved water retention properties of horse meat. Papain, bromelain and fungal protease had significant influence on MFI and shear force. MFI increased obviously but the shear force decreased significantly with the addition of more protease (p <0.05). During postmortem aging, many small molecules popeptide appeared in treatment group. Myosin light chain 2, 20 KDa, 32 KDa and 75 KDa bands appeared at first, however later they disappeared in the group with high concentration of protease treatment in addition to the disappearance of Desmin and Troponin I. The muscle fiber, perimysium and endomysium were degraded because of papain, bromelain and fungal protease treatment. More muscle fiber fragments appeared during postmortem aging.Thus, the tenderness and eating quality of horse meat were improved by adding three kinds of protease.

Effect of ageing time on consumer preference and sensory description of foal meat.

A consumer test (n = 120) was performed in Vitoria-Gasteiz (northern Spain) in order to study the effect of ageing time (0, 7, 14 and 21 days) on the sensory quality of Hispano-Bretón foal meat. Steaks (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum) were wet aged and evaluated in-mouth and visually. In both cases, acceptability was scored using a hedonic scale, and sensory drivers related to ageing were characterised by applying check-all-that-apply method in meat. For both, in-mouth and visual acceptability, meat aged for 7 days obtained higher scores than non-aged meat, whereas longer ageing periods did not improve consumer acceptability. Check-all-that-apply method showed to be able to discriminate among samples, both in-mouth and visually. Results revealed that texture related attributes were the most discriminant ones in the in-mouth evaluation, being non-aged meat related to 'dry', 'high residue', 'tough' and 'chewy' terms, whereas aged meat was associated to 'juicy', 'tender' and 'easily dissolving' terms. Visually, consumers perceived that, after 14 days of ageing, meat colour changed to 'brownish'. Under present study conditions, the establishment of a period of 7 days of ageing would be recommended.

Texture Characteristics of Horse Meat for the Elderly Based on the Enzyme Treatment.

Horse meat is nutritionally adequate to the elderly, but it has a comparatively hard texture in contrast to most of the food. In practice, the meat intake in the elderly is generally bated because the relatively difficult texture of the meat can diminish mastication. Thus, strategies are being developed to produce meat products remanding detracted mastication exertion and possibly exalt ingestion and nutritional stand, in the elderly. Hence, the effects of enzymes on textural characteristics of horse meat were studied, because they have well-known favorable efficacy on the meat tenderness by causing important demotion of the myo-fibrillar protein and collagen. Four treatments namely, papain, bromelin, pepsin, and pancreatin, alongside one control were invoked to the horse meat. Their effects on the texture parameters were determined. All the above enzymatic treatments significantly reduced hardness and resilience (p<0.001). These results present opportunities to produce essential fatty acids fortified horse meat with soft texture and satisfied technological characteristics. The intake of the essential fatty acids intensified horse meat could aid the elderly to get their aimed essential fatty acid demands. Results also suggest that horse meat tenderized through enzymatic processing stand for auspicious options for the comprehension of texture-revised diets in the elderly population.

Consumer Sensory Comparisons Among Beef, Horse, Elk, and Bison Using Preferred Attributes Elicitation and Check-All-That-Apply Methods.

Despite their nutritional benefits, consumption of red meat from alternative sources such as bison, elk, and horse is low when compared to beef. Sensory attributes and drivers of liking were identified for these meats using the Preferred Attributes Elicitation (PAE) and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) methods. For the PAE study, 25 panelists evaluated beef, horse, bison, and elk meats in three different group sessions (n = 7, 7, and 11), whereas 63 panelists participated in the CATA study. Consumers in both PAE and CATA studies associated horse meat with dry and fibrous appearance, whereas beef was associated with meaty/beefy flavor and aroma: bison with metallic and livery aroma and intense aftertaste and elk meat with livery, fishy, metallic flavor, musky aroma, and bloody aftertaste. Penalty analysis on the CATA data identified similar drivers of meat liking as the PAE groups. The attributes were juiciness, meaty/beefy aroma, tender texture, meaty/beefy flavor, and mild flavor and aroma. Attributes with significantly negative mean impact on liking were dryness, tough texture, livery flavor, and aftertaste. Association of these attributes with horse and elk meats has implication on drivers of dislike for these meat types. Cluster analysis identified a small group of consumers with preference for horse and elk meats, and this may present niche market opportunities for these meat types. Results showed that the PAE method was comparable to CATA for the evaluation of meat from different species and for identification of drivers of liking and that both methods are effective for meat sensory characterization. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Lean red meat from unconventional sources such as elk, bison, and horse has unique sensory attributes that may influence acceptance. This study characterized the sensory attributes of these meats and their impact on liking using two rapid consumer descriptive profiling methods-PAE and CATA. Undesirable flavor and aftertaste attributes were identified as the major drivers of disliking for these unconventional meats. Both methods gave similar description of the samples, thus confirming the suitability of PAE for descriptive meat profiling by consumer panels.

Application of proteomic to investigate the post-mortem tenderization rate of different horse muscles.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of post-mortem aging on tenderness development and proteolysis of myofibrillar proteins in 3 different horse muscles. Warner-Bratzler shear force decreased during aging in all muscles, showing the lowest values in longissimus lumborum (LL) in all sampling points. Myofibril fragmentation index significantly increased in LL and semimembranosus (SM) muscles throughout aging time whereas in semitendinosus (ST) it increased after 14 days of aging. Proteomics analysis revealed the major content of intact myofibrillar proteins with high molecular weight in ST muscle in the first phase of aging, while, after 14 days a higher accumulation of TnT-derived polypeptides and spots isoforms ascribed to MLC2 and MLC1 proteins were found. Data highlight that aging affects the meat tenderness and proteolysis with different intensities in each muscle and suggest that a more extensive post-mortem proteolysis occurred in ST muscle.

The influence of frozen storage and selected substances on the quality of horse meat.

The aim of this work was to analyze the influence of frozen storage and selected substances on the quality of horse meat. The research material consisted of samples of the longest thorax muscle obtained from 12 half-carcases of horses. The use of citric acid and calcium salts contributes to deterioration of hydration properties of horse meat. Extension of frozen storage time from 1 to 3 months resulted in a decrease in the value of water retaining capacity in the analysed raw material. Regardless of the length of frozen storage of horse meat, the applied substances reduced in a statistically significant way the values of hardness and stiffness of the analysed raw material. Extension of frozen storage time influenced the increase of pH value (statistically significant differences) of meat subjected to marinating only with citric acid.

A quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of equine (horse and donkey)-originated meat in processed bovine meat products.

Meat is one of the most important basic foodstuffs in human nutrition. Nowadays, adulteration and authenticity are common problems for meat products. Identification of meat species is important in terms of consumer protection and prevention of adulteration. There are different methods to determine adulteration of meat and meat products. These methods are histological controls, serological tests, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In this study, species identification and quantification analysis of meat and meat products were done by using horse-, donkey-, and bovine-specific primers with quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Triple meat mixtures containing horse and donkey meat ranging from 0.1 to 50% levels were prepared within a bovine mixture for using species identification and quantification analysis. The method specificity was confirmed by melting curve analysis. In conclusion, quantitative polymerase chain reaction is an easy, rapid, and reliable method for meat species identification, and with this study an applicable method was developed for the detection and quantification of equine-originated meat in bovine meat products.

Comparative study of nutritional composition and color traits of meats obtained from the horses and Korean native black pigs raised in Jeju Island.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at comparing the nutritional composition and color traits between two meat types: Horse meat and pork from Korean native black pigs raised in Jeju Island. METHODS: After slaughter 24 h, the longissimus dorsi samples were taken from left side carcasses of the 32-mo-old Jeju female breed horses and the 6-mo-old Korean native black pigs (n = 10 each). The samples were then placed into cool boxes containing ice packs and transported to the Laboratory of Meat Science where all visual fats and connective tissues were trimmed off and then the samples were ground. All the samples were analyzed for nutritional composition (proximate composition, minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, and amino acids) and color traits. RESULTS: The horse meat contained significantly higher collagen, moisture and protein than the pork (p<0.05). The Jeju horse meat showed more desirable fatty acid profiles such as containing significantly lower saturated fatty acids (SFA), higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) contents and PUFA/SFA ratios than the pork (p<0.05). Differences in concentrations of ten amino acids existed between the two meat types in which the horse meat had higher values for all these amino acids, total amino acids (20.33 g/100 g) and essential amino acids (10.06 g/100 g) than the pork (p<0.05). Also, the horse meat showed significantly higher concentrations of Fe (34.21 mg/100 g) and Cu (2.47 mg/100 g) than the pork (Fe, 17.42 mg/100 g and Cu, 1.51 mg/100 g) (p<0.05). All the vitamins detected showed statistical differences between the two meat types in which the horse meat had higher concentrations of vitamin B1 (25.19 mg/100 g), B2 (92.32 mg/100 g), B3 (2,115.51 mg/100 g), and B5 (67.13 mg/100 g) than the pork (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the results obtained in the study, it is concluded that the two meat types studied are rich in nutrients and the animal species strongly affected the nutritional values and color traits of the muscle tissues.

Real-Time Bioluminescence Analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Survival on Livestock Meats Stored Fresh, Cold, or Frozen.

Foodborne bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 can cause severe hemorrhagic colitis in humans following consumption of contaminated meat products. Contamination with pathogenic bacteria is frequently found in the food production environment, and adequate household storage conditions of purchased foods are vital for illness avoidance. Real-time monitoring was used to evaluate bacterial growth in ground horse, beef, and pork meats maintained under various storage conditions. Various levels of E. coli O157:H7 carrying the luxCDABE operon, which allows the cells to emit bioluminescence, were used to inoculate meat samples that were then stored at room temperature for 0.5 day, at 4°C (cold) for 7 or 9 days, or -20°C (frozen) for 9 days. Real-time bioluminescence imaging (BLI) of bacterial growth was used to assess bacterial survival or load. Ground horse meat BLI signals and E. coli levels were dose and time dependent, increasing during room temperature and -20°C storage, but stayed at low levels during 4°C storage. No bacteria survived in the lower level inoculum groups (101 and 103 CFU/g). With an inoculum of 107 CFU/g, pork meats had higher BLI signals than did their beef counterparts, displaying decreased BLI signals during 7 days storage at 4°C. Both meat types had higher BLI signals in the fat area, which was confirmed with isolated fat tissues in the beef meat. Beef lean and fat tissues contrasted with both pork fat and lean tissues, which had significantly higher BLI signals and bacterial levels. BLI appears to be a useful research tool for real-time monitoring of bacterial growth and survival in various stored livestock meats. The dependence of E. coli O157:H7 growth on meat substrate (fat or lean) and storage conditions may be used as part of an effective antibacterial approach for the production of safe ground horse, beef, and pork meats.

Typical Brazilian genotype of Toxoplasma gondii isolated from a horse destined for human consumption in Europe from a slaughterhouse.

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Infections occur via the ingestion of oocysts, consumption of cysts containing bradyzoites, and transplacental transmission of tachyzoites. Diversity in T. gondii strains may affect the outcome of clinical toxoplasmosis. The consumption of horse meat is a common practice in some parts of the world. The objectives of the present study were to isolate and genotype T. gondii from horses from an abattoir in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil that exports horse meat to Europe. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 32.5% (13/40) of the horses using the modified agglutination test (MAT) with a cut-off of 1:25. Tissues from the 13 seropositive horses were bioassayed in mice, and one isolate, designated TgHorseBrRS1, was obtained. PCR-RFLP of the isolate revealed the ToxoDB-RFLP #228 genotype, a typical non-archetypal Brazilian genotype, and microsatellite analysis showed a unique non-archetypal genotype. This study showed that horses from Brazil can harbor viable T. gondii in their tissues, suggesting that recommendations to consumers should be made, especially in European countries where consumption of raw horse meat is common.

Investigation of phenylbutazone and its metabolite oxyphenbutazone in horse meat products during years 2013-2017.

This study showed the results of a monitoring program aimed at detecting the fraudulent use of horse meat in samples collected in the framework of official controls during the years 2013-2017 after the so-called horse meat scandal that caused a decreasing consumer confidence in the food industry, particularly in meat products. A total of 125 samples diversely distributed in the 5 years of monitoring were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method was validated according to Commission Decision 657/2002/EC with regard to the following parameters: linearity, specificity, decision limit (CCα), detection capability (CCß), recovery, and precision (repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility). Even if the results of this study revealed no positive sample, the need for constant assurance of food safety and consumers' health protection requires the implementation of preventive as well as corrective actions in the management of risks linked to the food chain in a more global context.

Evaluation of the PrioCHECK™ Trichinella AAD Kit for the digestion and recovery of larvae in pork, horse meat and wild meat.

The artificial digestion magnetic stirrer method using pepsin protease and hydrochloric acid is the standard assay for the detection of Trichinella larvae in muscle of infected animals. Recently, an alternative enzyme, serine protease, was employed in the development of a commercially available digestion kit (PrioCHECK™ Trichinella AAD Kit). This assay requires a higher digestion temperature of 60°C which kills the larvae during the digestion process, mitigating the risk of environmental contamination from the parasite. The present study was conducted to determine the performance of the PrioCHECK™ Trichinella AAD Kit compared to the conventional pepsin/HCl digestion. Replicate paired 115g samples of Trichinella-negative pork diaphragm and masseter, and of horse tongue and masseter, were used to compare the two methods for tissue digestibility. Similarly, paired 100g samples of pork diaphragm and horse tongue were spiked with proficiency samples containing known numbers of Trichinella spiralis first stage larvae to compare larval recoveries for the two methods. Masseter samples from wild bears and wolves naturally infected with Trichinella nativa or T6 were also used to compare the performance of the methods. The results of the study showed that the PrioCHECK™ Trichinella AAD Kit, when used according to the manufacturer's instructions, was effective in detecting Trichinella infection in all samples that contained 0.05 or more larvae per gram of tissue. Although there was no significant difference between the Kit method and the standard pepsin/HCl digestion procedure in the average number of larvae recovered from spiked pork diaphragm, 38% fewer larvae were recovered from similarly spiked samples of horse tongue by digestion using serine protease (one way ANOVA, P value <0.001). Additional clarification was also more often required for both horse meat and pork when using the Kit compared to the pepsin/HCl method. The results of testing wildlife samples were similar for the two methods. Overall, the performance of the Kit method was suitable for the digestion of muscle samples and recovery of Trichinella larvae, according to international standards. It also provides advantages of faster digestion, safer reagents and recovered parasites that are non-hazardous for analysts and the environment.