Development and Validation of a Rapid Qualitative Test Kit for Detection of Cooked Pork Meat and Gelatin Residues

Introduction: Incidental contamination of meat with pork residues is relatively common, despite the health and religious concerns that are raised by this practice. Pi Bioscientific Inc. has previously reported on the development of a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) for detection of raw pork meat residues. In an effort to broaden the intended application of the device, we developed an enhanced extraction buffer system than enables recovery and detection of cooked pork meat residues and pork gelatin.

Purpose: To develop a highly specific detection kit that can rapidly detect raw and cooked pork meat as well as pork gelatin residues in meat and gelatin-containing foods.

Methods: Pi Bioscientific Inc. raised and purified goat antibodies against pork serum albumin (PSA) for use in a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay. Sample extraction buffers and running buffers were developed to enable detection of raw meat, cooked meat, and gelatin from samples. The ensuing kits and test methods were validated for sensitivity, specificity and dynamic range. Method concordance was assessed using a PCR-based meat authentication method (IEH). 

Results: The Pi Bioscientific Inc. pork meat lateral flow test demonstrated a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01% spiked raw pork meat (into beef meat), 1 - 5% spiked cooked meat (into cooked beef meat), and 0.1 - 2.5% spiked gelatin (depending on the food matrix). Specificity analysis revealed no cross-reactivity with meats derived from chicken, turkey, horse, beef, lamb, and goat. The assay was able to detect gelatin residues where PCR methods failed to due to the inability to recover DNA.

Significance: The development of a highly specific test method capable of detecting trace amounts of both raw and cooked pork meat as well as gelatin in ~40 min should aid food safety authorities in their continued efforts to monitor adulteration or contamination with pork residues.