Procedures for the identification and detection of adulteration of fish and meat products

Abstract

The addition or exchange of cheaper fish species instead of more expensive fish species is a known form of fraud in the food industry. This can take place accidentally due to the lack of expertise or act as a fraud. The interest in detecting animal species in meat products is based on religious demands (halal and kosher) as well as on product adulterations. Authentication of fish and meat products is critical in the food industry. Meat and fish adulteration, mainly for economic pursuit, is widespread and leads to serious public health risks, religious violations, and moral loss. Economically motivated adulteration of food is estimated to create damage of around € 8 to 12 billion per year. Rapid, effective, accurate, and reliable detection technologies are keys to effectively supervising meat and fish adulteration. Various analytical methods often based on protein or DNA measurements are utilized to identify fish and meat species. Although many strategies have been adopted to assure the authenticity of fish and meat and meat a fish products, such as the protected designation of origin, protected geographical indication, certificate of specific characteristics, and so on, the coverage is too small, and it is unrealistic to certify all meat products for protection from adulteration. Therefore, effective supervision is very important for ensuring the suitable development of the meat industry, and rapid, effective, accurate, and reliable detection technologies are fundamental technical support for this goal. Recently, several methods, including DNA analysis, protein analysis, and fat-based analysis, have been effectively employed for the identification of meat and fish species.

Development of Multiplex PCR and Melt–Curve Analysis for the Molecular Identification of Four Species of the Mullidae Family, Available in the Market

“…Nevertheless, this may happen accidentally due to lack of expertise, or when small-size specimens, are traded. Interestingly, this type of fraud is estimated to cause damages of approximately 8 to 12 billion euros per year [4].…”

Species-Specific Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Identification of Bovine in Cultured Meat Serum for halal Status

“…Several methods for species identification of meat are available, including DNA [ 20 , 21 , 22 ], protein [ 23 , 24 ] and fat-based analysis [ 25 ]. Species-specific identification of animals based on DNA analysis, such as PCR-based assays, have been applied to detect samples of meat, milks products, gelatine and blood plasma [ 18 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Animal DNA detection has not been reported in serum to date.…”

Molecular markers for differentiation of Fenneropenaeus merguiensis among Penaeus species

“…These molecular markers will benefit for detection of the genetic material of the shrimp, which was replaced with crustaceans of non‐authentic species. Food (shrimp) adulteration may be mainly of economic motivation and moral loss, leading to serious public health risks (Čapla et al, 2020). Therefore, we also reported evaluating the shrimp species in processed food using some developed markers.…”