Research Project to Validate Methods to Quantify Horse and Pork Meat Adulteration and Processed Beef
Abstract:
This report summarises Defra project FA0171 which aimed to develop and validate analytical methods to quantify horse and pork adulteration in raw and processed beef products. The project expanded earlier work on real-time PCR quantification of horse DNA by developing three quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) methods capable of detecting and measuring horse and pork DNA in beef matrices. The methods were validated through in-house testing and a limited inter-laboratory ring trial. DNA extraction using a CTAB method provided sufficient DNA quality for analysis, and calibration curves enabled reliable quantification across a concentration range of 0.1% to 10% (w/w) adulteration. Results demonstrated that the methods could reliably distinguish trace contamination (0.1%), enforcement thresholds (?1%), and deliberate adulteration (?10%) in beef products.
Date:
2019
Keywords:
Beef authenticity testing, Real-time PCR (qPCR), Species DNA quantification, Processed meat products, Inter-laboratory validation / ring trial, Food fraud detection
