The kit enables a qualitative detection of Sheep DNA in food samples by Real Time PCR, after a sample processing step. This DNA is present in the mitochondrial genome and it may be found in food and food industry.
Product InsertIn case of meat and meat products, the animal species must be disclosed on the label. Moreover, the species authenticity can be highly relevant to consumers for economic, medical, cultural and religious reasons. Fraudulent substitution of cheaper meats in place of more expensive species, the inclusion of meat in non-meat (vegetarian) products and the presence of allergens in food products are clear examples for the importance of this issue.
Several methods for species detection are based on identification of proteins by means of electrophoretic and/or immunological methods. However, these methods are not reliable for application in highly processed and heated products due to the protein deterioration. DNA is more stable than proteins during processing and although it can be fragmented by several processes, modern DNA methodologies like PCR based techniques still allow the identification of DNA from the species present in a sample. Real time PCR techniques are especially suitable for these products because small fragments of DNA can still be amplified and identified with high sensitivity and specificity.
