Production of monoclonal antibody for the detection of meat and bone meal in animal feed

Mass Spectrometry-Based Immunoassay for the Quantification of Banned Ruminant Processed Animal Proteins in Vegetal Feeds

The ban of processed animal proteins (PAPs) in feed for farmed animals introduced in 2001 was one of the main EU measures to control the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis. Currently, microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are the official methods for the detection of illegal PAPs in feed. However, the progressive release of the feed ban, recently with the legalization of nonruminant PAPs for the use in aquaculture, requires the development of alternative methods to determine the species origin and the source (legal or not). Additionally, discussions about the need for quantitative tests came up, particularly if the zero-tolerance-concept is replaced by introducing PAP thresholds. To address this issue, we developed and partially validated a multiplex mass spectrometry-based immunoassay to quantify ruminant specific peptides in vegetal cattle feed. The workflow comprises a new sample preparation procedure based on a tryptic digestion of PAPs in suspension, a subsequent immunoaffinity enrichment of the released peptides, and a LC-MS/MS-based analysis for peptide quantification using isotope labeled standard peptides. For the very first time, a mass spectrometry-based method is capable of detecting and quantifying illegal PAPs in animal feed over a concentration range of 4 orders of magnitude with a detection limit in the range of 0.1% to 1% (w/w).

Peptidomic Approach to Developing ELISAs for the Determination of Bovine and Porcine Processed Animal Proteins in Feed for Farmed Animals

The European Commission (EC) wants to reintroduce nonruminant processed animal proteins (PAPs) safely into the feed chain. This would involve replacing the current ban in feed with a species-to-species ban which, in the case of nonruminants, would only prohibit feeding them with proteins from the same species. To enforce such a provision, there is an urgent need for species-specific methods for detecting PAPs from several species in animal feed and in PAPs from other species. Currently, optical microscopy and the polymerase chain reaction are the officially accepted methods, but they have limitations, and alternative methods are needed. We have developed immunoassays using antibodies raised against targets which are not influenced by high temperature and pressure. These targets were identified in a previous study based on an experimental approach. One optimized competitive ELISA detects bovine PAPs at 2% in plant-derived feed. The detection capability demonstrated on blind samples shows a good correlation with mass spectrometry results.

Identification of species origin of meat and meat products on the DNA basis: a review

The adulteration/substitution of meat has always been a concern for various reasons such as public health, religious factors, wholesomeness, and unhealthy competition in meat market. Consumer should be protected from these malicious practices of meat adulterations by quick, precise, and specific identification of meat animal species. Several analytical methodologies have been employed for meat speciation based on anatomical, histological, microscopic, organoleptic, chemical, electrophoretic, chromatographic, or immunological principles. However, by virtue of their inherent limitations, most of these techniques have been replaced by the recent DNA-based molecular techniques. In the last decades, several methods based on polymerase chain reaction have been proposed as useful means for identifying the species origin in meat and meat products, due to their high specificity and sensitivity, as well as rapid processing time and low cost. This review intends to provide an updated and extensive overview on the DNA-based methods for species identification in meat and meat products.

Authentication of meat and meat products

In recent years, interest in meat authenticity has increased. Many consumers are concerned about the meat they eat and accurate labelling is important to inform consumer choice. Authentication methods can be categorised into the areas where fraud is most likely to occur: meat origin, meat substitution, meat processing treatment and non-meat ingredient addition. Within each area the possibilities for fraud can be subcategorised as follows: meat origin-sex, meat cuts, breed, feed intake, slaughter age, wild versus farmed meat, organic versus conventional meat, and geographic origin; meat substitution-meat species, fat, and protein; meat processing treatment-irradiation, fresh versus thawed meat and meat preparation; non-meat ingredient addition-additives and water. Analytical methods used in authentication are as diverse as the authentication problems, and include a diverse range of equipment and techniques. This review is intended to provide an overview of the possible analytical methods available for meat and meat products authentication. In areas where no authentication methods have been published, possible strategies are suggested.

Development of immunoassay for detection of meat and bone meal in animal feed

An immunoassay system was developed for efficient detection of prohibited meat and bone meal (MBM) in animal feed. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were raised against bovine smooth muscle autoclaved at 130 degrees C for 20 min. Among the 1,500 supernatants of hybridoma cells screened, MAbs 3E1, 1G3, and 3E10 were selected and characterized in this study. The first set of MAbs produced, 3E1 and 1G3, had stronger reactivity against MBM than against smooth muscle that was heat treated at 90 degrees C for 10 min. However, reactivity gradually increased against smooth muscle that was autoclaved at 130 degrees C for up to 1 h. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of MBM in animal feed was optimized with the MAb 3E10 because of its superior performance. MAb 3E10 diluted to 100-fold was used to differentiate bovine MBM from that of other species in ingredients used for commercial animal feeds and could detect down to 0.05% MBM mixed in animal feed.