A PCR-based test for species-specific determination of heat treatment conditions of animal meals as an effective prophylactic method for bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Efficiency of animal waste sterilization prescribed by the European Union a nd Switzerland was verified using a pork-based ELISA and two PCR assays (tR NA(Glu)/cytochrome b specific for vertebrates; bovine species-specific cyto chrome b mitochondrial genome). A total of 204 samples of feedingstuffs wer e analysed including reference materials subjected to known heat treatments . Both ELISA and PCR assays were able to detect poorly heat-treated feeding stuffs if there was enough pork-based material present. The proposed specie s-specific PCR test, however, showed a higher sensitivity and specificity a s it specifically detected bovine material. Nevertheless, the PCR assay wil l not detect bovine material in properly heat-treated feeds as the DNA is t oo fragmented. It is, however, very useful as a rapid, sensitive, and speci fic method for the routine screening of animal meals with regard to prophyl axis of BSE. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.