Differentiation of Adulterated Meat Products through Molecular Technique: PCR-RFLP

Meat adulterations of different species are undetectable and it is common practice globally. In the field of food analysis, species determination is mostly sufficient, but simultaneous detection of several species in a single food product is desirable. The aim of the study was to distinguish between meats of two different species through PCR-RFLP analysis. The meat of two species were used include domestic pig (Sus scrofa; Porcidae) and domestic goat (Capra hircus; Bovidae). DNA was isolated from these samples , followed by amplification through PCR and further species was differentiated by RFLP using five different restriction endonuclease (RE) enzymes. The DNA sequences of different species are different, hence does not digest by same enzyme. The number and position of bands obtained after digestion were different in two species. In case of meat adulteration, the specific number and position of bands of DNA of a particular species will not be obtained, rather bands will be formed at intermediate positions and number of bands may vary. Thus, PCR-RFLP method is a potential tool for forensic identification and to differentiate specific meat sample and this molecular technique is an important tool to examine adulteration in meat food products.