Methodology for meat species identification: A review

Area of Science:

• Food science
• Analytical chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Accurate identification of animal species in meat products is essential for food safety, authenticity, and regulatory compliance.
• Existing methods for meat speciation face challenges, particularly with processed or heated products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and evaluate methods for identifying animal species in raw materials and meat products.
• To highlight effective techniques for meat speciation, considering challenges posed by processing.

Main Methods:

• Isoelectric focusing for species-specific protein pattern recognition.
• Immunoassay techniques, including simple immunodiffusion and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• Analysis of protein denaturation and renaturation for heat-processed samples.

Main Results:

• Isoelectric focusing is effective for meat speciation by analyzing protein band patterns.
• Immunoassays are powerful for detecting food protein analytes in complex mixtures.
• ELISA shows promise but struggles with quantification in mixtures due to variable blood levels.
• Protein denaturation in heat-processed meats hinders identification, but renaturation can mitigate effects.

Conclusions:

• Isoelectric focusing and immunoassays are valuable tools for meat species identification.
• Method selection depends on the sample type (raw vs. processed) and analytical goals.
• Further optimization is needed for accurate quantification in complex food matrices and heat-treated products.