Direct and highly species-specific detection of pork meat and fat in meat products by PCR amplification of mitochondrial DNA

Highly species-specific primers for pork D-loop mtDNA have been designed. U se of these and restrictive PCR amplification conditions has improved a rel iable and rapid method for detecting a PCR-amplified 531 bp band from pork. It has been proved useful for detecting both pork meat and fat in meat mix tures, including those dry-cured and heated by cooking. Absence of response in PCR-amplified samples or mixtures from bovine, ovine, chicken, and huma n was also demonstrated. Furthermore, wild boar and pork samples can be als o easily distinguished by a simple Avail restriction analysis.