Molecular techniques for speciation of meat

Abstract

DNA-based molecular techniques have emerged as the techniques of choice for species identification of meat and meat products in recent years due to their robustness, accuracy, and repeatability. Molecular techniques can be used for the species identification of both fresh and processed meat products and even for species identification of by-products derived from meat animals. DNA hybridization was one of the initial DNA-based molecular techniques used for meat species identification. Nevertheless, the widespread application of molecular techniques for the purpose of meat species identification was possible only after the advent of polymerase chain reaction (PCR); wherein million-fold in vitro amplification of target(s) was possible by repeated heating and cooling cycles. Consequently, several PCR-based methods, such as species-specific PCR, forensically informative nucleotide sequencing, restriction fragment length polymorphism, and DNA microarray, evolved as routine tests for the purpose of meat species identification in food, forensic, and referral laboratories worldwide. Quantification of adulteration is now possible using real-time PCR kinetic chemistry. Recently, techniques based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification principle were also developed for the purpose of species identification for field level or onsite speciation. In spite of these advancements, the need for a cost-effective, rapid, robust, and onsite test for the detection of varied animal species is still required. Therefore the scientific community must work to develop such platform tests of species identification that could even be integrated with recent ICT tools for enhanced field applications.