IMMUNOCHEMICAL DETECTION OF OVINE, PORCINE AND EQUINE FLESH IN BEEF PRODUCTS WITH ANTISERA TO SPECIES MYOGLOBIN

Antisera to myoglobins (Mb) isolated from ovine, porcine and equine muscles were used in agar‐gel diffusion experiments to determine the presence of flesh from these species in beef products. Rabbit anti‐ovine Mb serum was made monospecific by immunoabsorption, and then was used to detect the presence of lamb in fresh ground beef at the 3% level of adulteration. Goat anti‐porcine Mb serum was used to detect the presence of pork in fresh ground beef at the 3% level and in ground beef adulterated at the 10% level and heated to 70°C. Rabbit anti‐equine Mb serum was used to detect the presence of horse meat in heated beef sausages at the 3% level of adulteration. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved