Real-time PCR High-resolution Melting Analysis for the Species Identification of Meat Products: Focusing on Food Safety and Detection of Meat Adulterations

Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis are currently considered as reliable techniques for the species identification of meat-based products and widely used to detect meat adulteration.

To examine the validity of real-time PCR and HRM analysis to identify meat species in meat-based products.

Meat samples from five species (i.e., cattle, sheep, chicken, turkey, and wild pig) were purchased. Minced meat from the animal species of interest was prepared at the purities of 10%, and 20% and also were prepared as single and mixtures of two species. For molecular assessments, DNA samples were extracted from all the meat samples and subjected to real-time PCR by amplifying a mitochondrial cytochrome b specific for each species.

All the meat species studied in this research were successfully detected in the mixed meat samples when separately examined by real-time PCR. High-resolution melting analysis showed that all the meat species of interest were efficiently distinguished when examined simultaneously.

The data presented here shows that the real-time PCR and HRM analysis are reliable methods for the identification of meat species used in meat products.