Rapid Species Identification of Cooked Red Snapper Using Isoelectric Focusing

Comparison of Nutrition and Flavor Characteristics of Five Breeds of Pork in China

To characterize the quality of widely consumed pork in China, the chemical compositions and other indexes of five breeds of pork were compared. The results indicated that the moisture content, sensory flavor, and overall acceptability of Pipa pork (PPP) were superior to other breeds. The fat content and essential amino acids (EAA) of Yihao native pork (YNP) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in other breeds. The protein content, the total amount of amino acids, and perceptible flavor of Tibetan black pork (TBP) were higher than in other breeds. The protein nutrition profiles of manor black pork (MBP) and TBP were better than in others. The equivalent umami concentration (EUC) value of white pork (WP) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in others; however, the health risk of its fatty acid content was higher. There were unique protein and flavor chemicals in YNP, TBP, and PPP, which may be useful for distinguishing their authenticity.

PCR-ELISA for the semiquantitative detection of Nile perch (Lates niloticus) in sterilized fish muscle mixtures

A PCR-ELISA technique was developed for the semiquantitative detection of Nile perch (Lates niloticus) in experimentally sterilized fish muscle mixtures. Specific oligonucleotides derived from the 5S rDNA gene of Nile perch were selected. A forward primer, together with a reverse digoxigenin-labeled primer, permitted the amplification of specific 185 bp DNA fragments showing DNA intensities proportional to the contents of Nile perch muscle tissue in the fish mixtures. A biotinylated probe immobilized onto streptavidin-coated microplates was used to capture the digoxigenin-labeled fragments that were detected with peroxidase antidigoxigenin conjugate. Subsequent enzymatic conversion of substrate gave distinct absorbance differences when assaying fish binary mixtures containing different percentages of Nile perch muscle.

Computer-assisted evaluation of isoelectric focusing patterns in electrophoretic gels: identification of smoothhounds (Mustelus mustelus, Mustelus asterias) and comparison with lower value shark species

In this work, the most commercially important Selachian species, smoothhound (Mustelus mustelus) and starry smoothhound (Mustelus asterias), have been identified by polyacrylamide isoelectric focusing (IEF-PAGE), along with several shark species of minor commercial value. In Italy, these two smoothhound species are commonly subjected to fraudulent substitution with lesser valued sharks. After the electrophoretic runs, the band patterns of the two Mustelus species were compared with those of dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula), spurdog (Squalus acanthias), blue shark (Prionace glauca) and black-mouthed dogfish (Galeus melanostomus), both visually and with gel analysis software. The actual isoelectric points were then submitted to cluster analysis to differentiate the single species, despite the possible occurrence of electrophoretic variations or protein polymorphism. Every shark showed species-specific band patterns and could therefore be well differentiated, as confirmed by statistical analysis.

Substitution of fish species detected by thin-layer isoelectric focusing and a computer-assisted method for the evaluation of gels

Fourteen fish species susceptible to substitution were analysed by the thin-layer isoelectric focusing technique on polyacrylamide gels of pH 3.5-9.5. Four fish per species were run on the same gel to verify the possibility to differentiate them according to their protein banding patterns. The occurrence of intraspecific differences due either to electrophoretic variations or to protein polymorphism was also observed. In fact, some of them showed few dissimilarities among their protein profiles. However, the differentiation was possible for all species, even for those belonging to the same order, family and genus. Computer-based tools combined with statistical analysis were implemented and usefully applied to avoid a subjective evaluation of the isoelectric focusing gels, and to verify the reliability of the preliminary visual comparison of protein patterns.

Development of a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reference method for the analysis and identification of fish species in raw and heat-processed samples: a collaborative study

A collaborative study was carried out in seven European labs with the aim of achieving a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) standard operation procedure to identify fish species in raw and cooked samples. Urea and SDS-containing solutions were evaluated as extractants. Several preelectrophoretic operations--such as treatment with RNase/DNase, ultrafiltration and desalting--and up to ten types of gels and three SDS-PAGE systems were considered. The SDS-containing solution allowed a higher protein extractability than urea. Unlike urea extraction, SDS extraction seemed not to be influenced so much by the state of the sample (raw, cooked at 60 degrees C, cooked at 85 degrees C). Desalting, ultrafiltration or treatment with RNase/DNase did not improve the discriminatory power of the protein patterns. Commercial homogeneous 15% ExcelGels, especially when they were silver stained, yielded good results and afforded higher reproducibility, thus allowing a better matching of results among the laboratories participating in this collaborative study. Under the optimized technical conditions described above, all the fish species tested, either raw and cooked, yielded reproducible and discriminant species-specific protein patterns.