MULTIPLEX PCR ASSAY FOR DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ANIMAL SPECIES IN THE MEAT PRODUCTS

Viorica Coşier

Abstract
   Meat products and by-products adulteration is a real food safety problem that interests equally consumers and the authorities. The existence of specific genetic variation on mtDNA make it possible to detect and identify the animal meat species from fresh meat products or processed food products. In the present work we developed a multiplex PCR assay for identification of some animal species: mammals (cattle and pork), birds (poultry) and fish, from market meat products. Each primer pair was tested individual regarding specificity to a mitochondrial genome but also in a DNA mixture of all four analysed species. The specific hybridization of each primer pair has led to the production of characteristic size PCR products of 374 bp for beef, 290 bp for pork, 224 bp for poultry and 181 bp for fish. The multiplex protocol was then tested for species-specific identification in different commercial meat by-products.

Key words: mtDNA, meat, species identification, Multiplex PCR