Development of antisera to testicular antigens for identification of species origin of meats using DID, IE, CIE and RIE techniques

Antisera were raised in rabbits using native and heated testicular antigens from cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat. Double immunodiffusion test (DID), I mmunoelectrophoresis (IE), counter-immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and rocket i mmunoelectrophoresis (RIE) techniques were standardized using the above ser a. Cross reactions were noticed between different species antigens and they were eliminated by making the sera monospecific, using glutaraldehyde trea ted immunosorbent of the heterologous antigens. To overcome the problem of absorption, to make the sera monospecific, antisera were also raised in phy logenetically related species, viz., cattle in buffalo, buffalo in cattle, sheep in goat and goat in sheep using native as well as heated testicular a ntigens which proved monospecific directly. The sera samples could detect a dulteration in fresh meat samples even, at a low level, of 1%, while in the case of cooked meat samples, the detection levels were 10 to 20%. The sera were lyophilised and could show specific reaction up to 2 years.