Use of DNA Barcoding Combined with PCR-SFLP to Authenticate Species in Bison Meat Products.

Zerika M Scales,Elif Narbay,Rosalee S Hellberg

doi:10.3390/foods10020347

Abstract

American bison (Bison bison) meat is susceptible to species mislabeling due to its high value and similar appearance to meat from domestic cattle (Bos taurus). DNA barcoding is commonly used to identify animal species. However, as a result of the historical hybridization of American bison and domestic cattle, additional genetic testing is required for species confirmation. The objective of this study was to perform a market survey of bison meat products and verify the species using DNA barcoding combined with polymerase chain reaction-satellite fragment length polymorphism (PCR-SFLP). Bison products (n = 45) were purchased from a variety of retailers. Samples that were positive for domestic cattle with DNA barcoding were further analyzed with PCR-SFLP. DNA barcoding identified bison in 41 products, red deer (Cervus elaphus) in one product, and domestic cattle in three products. PCR-SFLP confirmed the identification of domestic cattle in two samples, while the third sample was identified as bison with ancestral cattle DNA. Overall, mislabeling was detected in 3 of the 45 samples (6.7%). This study revealed that additional DNA testing of species that have undergone historical hybridization provides improved identification results compared to DNA barcoding alone.

Highlights

American bison (Bison bison) once flourished in North America, numbering in the tens of millions [1,2]
By the early 1900s, the remaining bison survived as small herds on five private ranches and within a small wild herd in Yellowstone National Park, which had less than 25 animals in 1902 [1,3]
Bison on the remaining ranches were crossbred with domestic cattle (Bos taurus) in an attempt to improve the traits of cattle, including meat quality, quantity, hardiness, feed efficiency, and disease resistance [4,5,6]

Summary

Introduction

American bison (Bison bison) once flourished in North America, numbering in the tens of millions [1,2]. By the early 1900s, the remaining bison survived as small herds on five private ranches and within a small wild herd in Yellowstone National Park, which had less than 25 animals in 1902 [1,3]. Bison on the remaining ranches were crossbred with domestic cattle (Bos taurus) in an attempt to improve the traits of cattle, including meat quality, quantity, hardiness, feed efficiency, and disease resistance [4,5,6]. There are approximately 400,000 bison in commercial herds in North America and some 31,000 bison managed within conservation herds [9,10]. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List considers American bison to be “Near Threatened”; the population is considered stable and there is a harvest management plan in place [9]

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Results

Conclusion