A Practical Approach to Identifying Processed White Meat of Guinea Fowl, Rabbit, and Selected Fish Species Using...

Area of Science:

• Food science and technology
• Molecular biology
• Analytical chemistry

Background:

• Food adulteration, particularly in meat and fish products, is a significant concern.
• Accurate species identification is crucial for consumer protection and regulatory compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of species-specific primers for identifying processed white meat (guinea fowl, rabbit) and fish (pollock, hake, sole, panga) using end-point PCR.
• To determine if established primers can identify target species in thermally treated and commercially processed food samples.

Main Methods:

• Selection of short DNA sequence fragments (12S rRNA, COX3, ATP6, Pan I, 5S rRNA, microsatellite markers) for six target species.
• Evaluation of primer stability and specificity on cooked, autoclaved, and commercial food products (pâtés, baby food, frozen fish).
• Application of end-point PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique for species identification.

Main Results:

• The PCR method successfully identified target species in severely processed food products.
• Primer specificity and stability were confirmed across various processing conditions (cooking, autoclaving).
• The technique proved effective in detecting fraudulent species substitution and mislabeling.

Conclusions:

• End-point PCR using selected primers is a viable method for authenticating processed meat and fish products.
• This approach offers a cost-effective alternative to more complex PCR techniques for food analysis.
• The validated method supports regulatory efforts against food fraud and ensures product integrity.