Species-specific PCR for the identification of ovine, porcine and chicken species in meat and bone meal (MBM)

BSE, first identified in the UK in 1986 is thought to have arisen from feed ing scrapie infected Meat and Bone Meal (MBM), produced under sub-optimal c onditions, to cattle. For quality and safety reasons there is a requirement for a good analytical test for the surveillance of processed MBM. This stu dy describes species-specific PCR assays for the identification of ovine, p orcine and poultry species in MBM. A comparison between two distinct DNA ex traction methods, i.e. the silica-guanidiumthiocyanate DNA isolation proced ure and a commercial DNA extraction kit, is also presented. Application of this technology to species identification in industrial MBM was investigate d as part of this study. (C) 2001 Academic Press.