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Quantification of beef, pork, chicken and turkey proportions in sausages: use of matrix-adapted standards and comparison of single versus multiplex PCR in an interlaboratory trial

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Abstract

Quantitative PCR methods for the determination of beef, pork, chicken and turkey proportions in sausage were tested in an interlaboratory trial. Twelve different laboratories analysed six meat products each made of different compositions of beef, pork, chicken and turkey. Two kinds of calibrators were used: sausages of known proportions of meat and DNA from muscle tissue. Results generated using calibration sausages were more accurate than those resulting from the use of muscle tissue DNA. Regardless of the method used (either multiplex or single PCR), when using calibration sausages, it was always possible to quantify the proportions of meats in the unknown samples (in the range of 0.5–80%) with high precision and accuracy.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all the participating laboratories: Swiss Cantonal Laboratories of Aargau, Bern, Basel-Stadt, Neuenburg, Thurgau and Zürich, the Central Laboratory of Coop, Swiss Quality Testing Services (SQTS), LGL Bayern, LHL Hessen, LAVES Niedersachsen, CVUA Freiburg, CVUA Sigmaringen and TLLV Thüringen. Special thanks to the SQTS for the production and quality control of reference and sample sausages.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cantonal Office of Consumer Protection Aargau, Aarau, Switzerland

    Albert Eugster

  2. Official Food Control Authority of the Canton Thurgau, Frauenfeld, Switzerland

    Jürg Ruf

  3. Swiss Quality Testing Services (SQTS), Courtepin, Switzerland

    Jürg Rentsch

  4. Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    René Köppel

Authors
  1. Albert Eugster
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  2. Jürg Ruf
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  3. Jürg Rentsch
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  4. René Köppel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to René Köppel.

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Eugster, A., Ruf, J., Rentsch, J. et al. Quantification of beef, pork, chicken and turkey proportions in sausages: use of matrix-adapted standards and comparison of single versus multiplex PCR in an interlaboratory trial. Eur Food Res Technol 230, 55–61 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-009-1138-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-009-1138-5

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