Identification of pork DNA in beef products found on a regional market.

Abstract

Authenticity testing of animal species present in food has become a very important issue regarding the economical, safety, religious and health aspects. The food labeling regulations state that every meat species that was added in the product must be accurately declared to the consumer. Given the latest incidences, most of the population has lost confidence in the authenticity and quality of products found on the market. The aim of this study was to assess the authenticity of various beef products found on a regional market based on DNA confirmation method. The material used was represented by 87 beef products analyzed and tested in the Food Safety laboratory from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Cluj. All of the samples collected were purchased from a regional market having also a visible label. For the DNA extraction we used a DNA extraction kit (Isolate II, Bioline), the quantities and purities being read at the spectrophotometer (Nanodrop ND1000). The method used was PCR-multiplex, in which we used two sets of specific primers: one that amplify cattle mitochondrial DNA sequences and one for pork mitochondrial DNA sequences. The study revealed that 15% of the samples analyzed did not have the label in accordance with the content of the products. 5 of the products tested were negative at the amplification with bovine specific primers but positive for the pork DNA. 10 samples tested were positive both for bovine DNA as well as for pork DNA although on the label the pork meat adding was not mentioned. In the regional market studied there are deficiencies in labelling some of the beef products resulting in fraudulent marketing of pork meat mixture. We highly recommend a more severe surveillance and the DNA testing in the sanitary veterinary control units in order to identify the possible frauds and the retraction of the non-corresponding labelled products.