The detection of chicken meat in meat products by means of the anserine/carnosine ratio

Summary A distinctive difference was found between the ratio of the anserine and carnosine contents (a/c ratio) in beef or pork and of that in chicken/meat. The a/c ratio for beef varies between 0.06–0.2 and for pork between 0.02–0.1 but for chicken meat can reach values as high as 2.2–5.5.The high a/c ratio for chicken meat proved to be sufficient to detect this ingredient at a 5% level in both cooked pork products and 1:1 beef-pork mixtures, this being independent of the heat treatment.The a/c ratio should be considered to be a suitable parameter for the presence of chicken meat in meat products.

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Nachweis von Hühnerfleisch in Fleischerzeugnissen mit Hilfe des Verhältnisses der Anserin- und Carnosingehalte

Zusammenfassung Es wurde ein wesentlicher Unterschied zwischen dem Verhältnis der Anserin- und Carnosin-Gehalte (a/c-Wert) in Rind- und Schweinefleisch einerseits und Hühnerfleisch andererseits gefunden. Der a/c-Wert schwankt für Rindfleisch innerhalb der Bereich von 0,06 bis 0,2, und für Schweinefleisch von 0,02 bis 0,1. Für Hühnerfleisch können hohe Werte erreicht werden, zwischen 2,2 und 5,5. Dieses Ergebnis ermöglicht den Nachweis von Hühnerfleisch von 5% in erhitzten Produkten aus Schweinefleisch oder Rind-/Schweinefleisch-Mischungen (1 + 1). Das Resultat ist nicht von einer Hitzebehandlung abhängig. Der a/c-Wert ist als Parameter für Hühnerfleischzusätze in Fleischerzeugnissen geeignet.

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The investigation was made possible by financial support received from the Commodity Board for Livestock and Meat, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.     

Lead and cadmium in meat and meat products consumed by the population in Tenerife Island, Spain

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of lead and cadmium in chicken, pork, beef, lamb and turkey samples (both meat and meat products), collected in the island of Tenerife (Spain). Lead and cadmium were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Mean concentrations of lead and cadmium were 6.94 and 1.68 µg kg^-1 in chicken meat, 5.00 and 5.49 µg kg^-1 in pork meat, 1.91 and 1.90 µg kg^-1 in beef meat and 1.35 and 1.22 µg kg^-1 in lamb meat samples, respectively. Lead was below the detection limit in turkey samples and mean cadmium concentration was 5.49 µg kg^-1. Mean concentrations of lead and cadmium in chicken meat product samples were 3.16 and 4.15 µg kg^-1, 4.89 and 6.50 µg kg^-1 in pork meat product, 6.72 and 4.76 µg kg^-1 in beef meat product and 9.12 and 5.98 µg kg^-1 in turkey meat product samples, respectively. The percentage contribution of the two considered metals to provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) was calculated for meat and meat products. Statistically significant differences were found for lead content in meats between the chicken and pork groups and the turkey and beef groups, whereas for cadmium concentrations in meats, significant differences were observed between the turkey and chicken, beef and lamb groups. In meat products, no clear differences were observed for lead and cadmium between the various groups.     

2013年苏州地区肉及其制品掺假情况调查

了解苏州地区肉及其制品的掺假情况,通过对肉类种源与标签明示肉源进行比对,鉴别摻假食品,为加强食品标签管理提供依据。方法 运用自建的动物源性食品种源判定Taqman实时荧光PCR检测体系对苏州地区的肉及其制品进行种源判定,与标签明示肉源进行比对,鉴别摻假食品。结果 本次调查共检验涉及32个生产单位的90份样品,总不符合率为25.6%(23/90)。检测的44份牛肉及其制品中有12份与标签不符,8份用猪肉部分替代牛肉,1份以鸭肉部分代替牛肉进行销售;此外有3份不含有牛肉成分,存在猪、鸡、鸭源性肉类之外的肉类成分。共检测羊肉及其制品16份,有2份用鸭肉代替羊肉出售,3份羊肉样品中掺入了部分猪成分,其中1份样品还存在单个样品掺杂两种外源肉类的现象(猪源性和鸭源性)。检测猪肉及其制品19份,其中2份样品含有标签未注明的鸡肉成分。在所检测的11份混合肉类样品中有4份成分与标签不符,主要是以廉价的鸡肉取代/部分取代相对高价的牛肉和猪肉。结论 肉制品掺假情况明显,用猪肉、鸭肉部分代替牛肉和羊肉仍是主要的掺假手段,牛肉掺假样品主要是熟制牛肉制品,而火锅食用羊肉卷样品则是羊肉掺假高危品,开展肉制品摻假检测对规范肉制品市场具有积极意义。此外,3份未知种源成分的牛肉样品提示在现有检测基础上还需扩大检测范围,防患于未然。     

Occurrence of heterocyclic amines in cooked meat products

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), potent mutagens and a risk factor for human cancers, are produced in meats cooked at high temperature. The aim of this study was to determine the HCA content in cooked meat products (beef, chicken, pork, fish) prepared by various cooking methods (pan frying, oven broiling, and oven baking at 170 to 230 °C) that are preferred by U.S. meat consumers. The primary HCAs in these samples were PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine) (1.49-10.89 ng/g), MeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-f]quinoxaline) (not detected-4.0 ng/g), and DiMeIQx (2-amino-3,4,8-trimethyl-imidazo [4,5-f]quinoxaline) (not detected-3.57 ng/g). Type and content of HCAs in cooked meat samples were highly dependent on cooking conditions. The total HCA content in well-done meat was 3.5 times higher than that of medium-rare meat. Fried pork (13.91 ng/g) had higher levels of total HCAs than fried beef (8.92 ng/g) and fried chicken (7.00 ng/g). Among the samples, fried bacon contained the highest total HCA content (17.59 ng/g).     

Monoclonal antibody sandwich ELISA for the potential detection of chicken meat in mixtures of raw beef and pork

A sandwich ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) has been developed successfully for the detection of defined amounts of chicken meat (1-100%) in beef and pork meat mixtures. The assay uses a monoclonal antibody (BC9) specific to a chicken muscle soluble protein to capture this protein from complex meat mixtures. Further immunorecognition of the captured protein was attained with rabbit polyclonal antibodies against chicken muscle proteins (anti-CHSP). A commercial goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin conjugated to peroxidase was used to detect the anti-CHSP antibodies bound to the chicken protein. Subsequent enzymic conversion of substrate gave clear optical density differences when assaying mixtures of beef and pork meats containing variable amounts of chicken meat.     

The effect of heat treatment on the cholesterol oxides,cholesterol, total lipid and fatty acid contents of processed meat products

The effects of heat treatment on the formation of cholesterol oxides and on alterations of fatty acid composition were investigated in processed meat products. Meatballs (beef), hamburger (beef and Chester), sausage (pork, chicken and Chester) and frankfurter (mixed meat, chicken and Chester) were analysed. There was no cholesterol oxide formation caused by heat treatment of the samples analysed. The fatty acid compositions, calculated as g/100 g sample, showed alterations only between the raw and grilled beef hamburger. Only the cholesterol levels were significantly changed when comparing the raw and grilled pork sausages and the raw and grilled Chester hamburger, the values being lower in the grilled samples. Also, the total lipid contents of grilled beef hamburgers were lower than the values.     

基于食品测色仪的肉色变化规律研究

目的 为实现仪器测定肉色的规范化、标准化提供参考依据。方法 采用食品测色仪研究了牛肉、羊肉、猪肉和鸡肉肉色L*、a*、b*、C*、h、L、a、b值随氧合时间及肉块厚度的变化规律。结果 时间方面, 鲜切牛肉在24~28 min, 鲜切羊肉、猪肉在8~12 min内各肉色指标均未发生显著变化(P>0.05), 鸡肉在0~40 min的测定过程中肉色比较稳定; 厚度方面, 牛肉、羊肉厚度由1.5 cm增至2.0 cm过程中肉色变化不显著, 而猪肉厚度增至2.5 cm之前肉色持续变化。结论 食品测色仪测定肉色的适宜条件为: 鲜切牛肉氧合24 min, 厚度不小于2 cm; 鲜切羊肉氧合10 min, 厚度不小于2 cm; 鲜切猪肉氧合10 min, 厚度不小于2.5 cm; 鸡肉不需氧合可直接测定。     

Time-dependent depletion of nitrite in pork/beef and chicken meat products and its effect on nitrite intake estimation

The food additive nitrite (E249, E250) is commonly used in meat curing as a food preservation method. Because of potential negative health effects of nitrite, its use is strictly regulated. In an earlier study we have shown that the calculated intake of nitrite in children can exceed the acceptable daily intake (ADI) when conversion from dietary nitrate to nitrite is included. This study examined time-dependent changes in nitrite levels in four Swedish meat products frequently eaten by children: pork/beef sausage, liver paté and two types of chicken sausage, and how the production process, storage and also boiling (e.g., simmering in salted water) and frying affect the initial added nitrite level. The results showed a steep decrease in nitrite level between the point of addition to the product and the first sampling of the product 24 h later. After this time, residual nitrite levels continued to decrease, but much more slowly, until the recommended use-by date. Interestingly, this continuing decrease in nitrite was much smaller in the chicken products than in the pork/beef products. In a pilot study on pork/beef sausage, we found no effects of boiling on residual nitrite levels, but frying decreased nitrite levels by 50%. In scenarios of time-dependent depletion of nitrite using the data obtained for sausages to represent all cured meat products and including conversion from dietary nitrate, calculated nitrite intake in 4-year-old children generally exceeded the ADI. Moreover, the actual intake of nitrite from cured meat is dependent on the type of meat source, with a higher residual nitrite levels in chicken products compared with pork/beef products. This may result in increased nitrite exposure among consumers shifting their consumption pattern of processed meats from red to white meat products.     

A novel partitioning method as a possible tool for investigating meat. I.

 This paper describes a practical application of the interfacial protein enrichment method, called three-phase partitioning (TPP), and outlines its significance in the differentiation of multicomponent protein systems, such as homogenates and drips of different meats (pork, beef, chicken, turkey and wild-boar). The results obtained using the single-protein model system are also reported to demonstrate the basic process and some characteristic features of TPP. For meat-protein-partitioning experiments, ammonium sulphate (41% relative saturation) and 23.7% tert-butanol were used at 20 – 25°C. Using this two-liquid system, a characteristic distribution of three phases (including a semi-solid midlayer) was obtained for homogenates of eight different meats following centrifugation. Compressibility, expressed as a ratio of layer thickness obtained by low-speed (200 g) and medium-speed (4500 g) centrifugation, allowed us to distinguish between beef and pork drips. A good correlation was found between layer thickness and storage time for wild-boar samples. The partitioning presented here can be considered as a rapid and simple method for comparison between raw meat samples of different origin. Received: 9 July 1997 / Revised version: 1 October 1997     

Relationship between the translocation of paratropomyosin and the restoration of rigor-shortened sarcomeres during post-mortem ageing of meat-A molecular mechanism of meat tenderization

The weakening effect of paratropomyosin on rigor linkages formed between actin and myosin was determined by measuring the restoration of rigor-shortened sarcomeres of chicken, pork and beef. We observed the rate of the post-mortem translocation of paratropomyosin from the A-I junction region of sarcomeres onto the thin filaments in the A-band, where rigor linkages had been formed; this agreed well with the rate of increase in length of rigor-shortened sarcomeres. The sarcomere lengths were found to be maximum at 1, 7 and 10 days post-mortem in chicken, pork and beef, respectively. Thus, translocated paratropomyosin weakens rigor linkages and brings about the recovery in the length of rigor-shortened sarcomeres. Paratropomyosin stimulates the resolution of rigor mortis, and is a key factor in meat tenderization during post-rigor ageing. These results powerfully support the ‘Calcium theory of meat tenderization’ which we have proposed.     

Evaluation of the petrifilm plate method for the enumeration of aerobic microorganisms and coliforms in retailed meat samples.

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness and applicability of the Petrifilm plate method with the Association of Official Analytical Chemists' (AOAC) standard aerobic count method and violet red bile agar method for meat products. The comparison was carried out using 303 meat samples collected from various retailers: 110 pork samples, 87 chicken samples, and 107 beef samples. In the comparison of the correlation coefficient (R) between the conventional method and the Petrifilm plate method by a linear regression analysis, the correlation coefficient in total microorganisms was 0.99, 0.95, and 0.94 in pork, beef, and chicken samples, respectively. The correlation coefficient in coliform count was 0.83, 0.96, and 0.81 in pork, beef, and chicken samples, respectively. Based on the high correlation in the total microorganism count, it might be possible to replace the conventional methods with the Petrifilm plate method. For coliform counts, the Petrifilm plate method also showed a generally high correlation coefficient, except for pork samples, which are more subject to contamination. The Petrifilm plate method was simpler and less time-consuming in sample preparation and, in procedures, faster than the conventional method. These results suggested that the 3M Petrifilm plate method could replace the conventional methods in the analysis of microorganism contamination measurement in meat products.     

Prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and molecular characterization of Salmonella serovars in retail meat products

The prevalence of Salmonella was determined in chicken meat (n = 26), beef (n = 49), and pork (n = 56) collected from wholesale markets, retail stores, and traditional markets in Seoul, South Korea, in 2009. Antibiotic resistance was assessed, and the molecular subtypes of Salmonella isolates were ascertained using an automated repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) system (DiversiLab). A total of 18 Salmonella strains were isolated from 17 of 131 samples: 16 strains from each of 16 samples and 2 strains from the same pork sample. The prevalence of Salmonella from the retail meats was 2.0% in beef, 8.9% in pork, and 42.3% in chicken meat. Among 10 different serotypes, Salmonella enterica Panama was recovered from a beef sample, and Salmonella London and Salmonella Montevideo were the predominant serotypes from pork and chicken meat, respectively. The highest antibiotic resistance observed was to erythromycin (100%) followed by streptomycin (22.2%) and tetracycline and chloramphenicol (16.7%). Of the 18 isolates, 5 (27.8%) were resistant to two or more antibiotics, and 1 isolate from chicken meat was resistant to eight antibiotics, including cephalosporins. Differentiation between all of the Salmonella isolates except between Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella London was successfully performed with the automated rep-PCR system, indicating that it can be added to the toolbox for source tracking of foodborne pathogens associated with outbreaks.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in US meat and poultry: 2012–13 levels,trends and estimated consumer exposures

ABSTRACT

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of brominated flame retardants whose use has contaminated foods and caused subsequent human exposures. To address the issue of possible human exposure, samples from a 2012–13 US meat and poultry (beef, pork, chicken, turkey) study were analysed for seven PBDEs. The mean summed concentrations of the seven BDE congeners (ΣPBDE) from beef, pork, chicken and turkey were 0.40, 0.36, 0.19, and 0.76 ng g^–1 lipid weight (lw). The range of ΣPBDEs for all meat classes was 0.01–15.78 ng g^–1 lw. A comparison of this study with a 2007–08 study revealed a decline in the median ΣPBDEs for all four meat classes, a reduction of 25.9% to 70.0%, with pork, chicken and turkey PBDE residues being statistically lower relative to the 2007–08 study. BDEs 47 and 99 contributed the most to the ΣPBDE concentrations, indicating likely animal exposures to the penta-BDE formulation. Based on the reported data an estimate of US consumer daily intake of PBDEs from meat and poultry was 6.42 ng day^–1.     

Meat species identification and Halal authentication using PCR analysis of raw and cooked traditional Turkish foods

The method performance characteristics of commercially available PCR kits for animal species identification were established. Comminuted meat products containing different levels of pork were prepared from authentic beef, chicken, and turkey. These meat products were analysed in the raw state and after cooking for 20 min at 200 °C. For both raw and cooked meats, the PCR kit could correctly identify the animal species and could reliably detect the addition of pork at a level below 0.1%. A survey of 42 Turkish processed meat products such as soudjouk, salami, sausage, meatball, cured spiced beef and doner kebap was conducted. Thirty-six samples were negative for the presence of pork (< 0.1%) and four were found to be correctly labelled as containing pork. However, one sausage sample was labelled as containing 5% beef, but beef DNA was not detected and a meatball sample labelled as 100% beef was found to contain chicken. Another turkey meatball sample was predominantly chicken.     

Effect of illumination source on the appearance of fresh meat cuts

The effects of incandescent (INC), fluorescent (FL), and metal halide (MH) light sources on the appearance of fresh beef, pork and chicken meat were investigated. The color of all meats was more desired (P<0.05) when presented under an INC light source. The color used to describe beef meat presented under INC light was red, but dark brown or dark red under FL and MH. Relative luminance data, collected with a fiber optic probe connected to a photo diode array, demonstrated the reason to be a lack of redness in the commonly used FL and MH light sources. This difference was more pronounced in dark red beef cuts than in lighter pork and chicken cuts.     

Identification of chicken,duck, pigeon and pig meat by species-specific markers of mitochondrial origin

In the present study, PCR based method for meat species identification of chicken, duck, pigeon and pig was achieved by developing species-specific markers. Using mitochondrial sequences species-specific primers were designed and the sizes of them were 256 bp, 292 bp, 401 bp and 835 bp for chicken, duck, pigeon and pig, respectively. The species-specific PCR products were sequenced to confirm the specificity of the product amplified. These markers were subsequently tested for cross amplification by checking them with beef, mutton, chevon, pork, rabbit, chicken, duck, turkey and pigeon meat. DNA markers developed in this study can help identify the species of fresh, cooked and autoclaved meat of chicken, duck and pigeon and fresh and cooked meat of pig. The process of identification is simple, economical and quick as compared to other methods such as RAPD, PCR-RFLP and sequencing method of species identification.     

How pH causes paleness or darkness in chicken breast meat

Chicken breasts (Pectoralis) at a low-pH (5.91 ± 0.12, n = 10) were compared with breasts at a high-pH (6.36 ± 0.25, n = 10, P < 0.001). Low-pH breasts had the highest reflectance (P < 0.001 from 400 to 700 nm). High-pH breasts had the greatest transmittance into their depth and across individual muscle fibres (P < 0.001). The differences in refractive index between ordinary and extraordinary rays across individual muscle fibres were greater in low-pH than in high-pH breasts (P < 0.001). Light at low wavelengths had greater reflectance and lower transmittance than light at long wavelengths (P < 0.001). Myofibrillar refraction contributed to differences in light scattering between PSE (pale, soft, exudative) and DFD (dark, firm, dry) chicken meat, as it does in pork and beef.     

Detection of chicken and turkey meat in meat mixtures by using real-time PCR assays

In this study, TaqMan-based real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques were developed for the detection of chicken and turkey meat in raw and heat-treated meat mixtures. Primers and TaqMan probe sets were designed to amplify 86 bp and 136 bp fragments for the chicken and turkey species, respectively, on the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene. In the results, it was possible to detect each species at the level of 0.1 pg template DNA with the TaqMan probe technique without any cross-reactivity with nontarget species (bovine, ovine, donkey, pork, and horse) while the detection level was 1 pg template DNA using conventional PCR. The TaqMan probe assays used in this study allowed the detection of as little as 0.001% level of both species in the experimental meat mixtures, prepared by mixing chicken and turkey meat with beef at different levels (0.001% to 10%). In conclusion, TaqMan probe assays developed in this research are promising tools in the specific identification and sensitive quantification of meat species even in the case of heat-treated meat products, and suitable for a rapid, automated, and routine analysis.     

Optimization of emulsion characteristics of beef, chicken and turkey meat mixtures in model system using mixture design

Emulsion pH (pHe), emulsion capacity (EC), emulsion stability (ES), emulsion density (ED) and apparent yield stress of emulsion (raw emulsion, AYSe) and emulsion gel (cooked emulsion, AYSg) of beef, chicken and turkey meats and their mixtures were studied using a model system.

Turkey meat homogenate was found to have higher protein concentration than chicken or beef homogenates. The highest pHe, EC and ES values and the lowest ED and AYSe values were found in chicken meat. However, the highest AYSg value was found in chicken–turkey meat mixture. Generally, the increasing amount of chicken meat in mixtures increased EC and ES, and decreased ED and AYSe values. Also, chicken–turkey meat mixtures had lower ES values than the mixtures containing only chicken or only turkey meat. With beef, the addition of chicken and turkey meats improved emulsion characteristics significantly. Optimum levels of beef, chicken and turkey meats were found to be 0–23%, 9–30% and 53–91% respectively.     

Investigation of methods to detect mechanically recovered meat in meat products - I: Chemical composition

The proximate composition (fat, moisture, nitrogen, ash and collagen) and the calcium, iron and total purine contents of samples of mechanically recovered meat (MRM) derived from beef, lamb, pork, chicken and turkey were analysed. The data obtained illustrate the variability in the composition of mechanically recovered meats derived from different meat species. The effect of including a high proportion of bones containing marrow in the starting material, the effect of recovery machine type (Yieldmaster and Protecon) and the effect of employing different operating conditions, were investigated. MRM produced using the Yieldmaster machine was generally found to contain higher concentrations of ash and calcium than that produced using the Protecon machine. Although operating conditions appeared to have little effect on the composition of mechanically recovered chicken meat, some differences were identified in mechanically recovered turkey and pork produced under different conditions. Comparison of the composition of MRM with that of meat removed manually, from close to the bone, from similar source materials highlighted a number of differences between the