Development of a polymerase chain reaction and capillary gel electrophoresis method for the detection of chicken or turkey meat in heat-treated pork meat mixtures

A polymerase chain reaction and capillary gel electrophoresis (PCR-CGE) method with ultraviolet (UV) or laser induced fluorescence detection (LIF) was established for the detection of chicken or turkey in heat-treated pork meat mixtures. Mitochondrial DNA samples extracted from heat treated meat were amplified with their corresponding specific primers yielding PCR products between 200 and 300 bp. LIF detection was superior than UV detection in terms of precision and sensitivity for the study of DNA fragments. The CGE-LIF method was highly reproducible and accurate for determining DNA fragment size. The PCR-CGE-LIF was sensitive since a significant fluorescent signal was obtained at the minimum admixture level employed of 1% in meat mixtures. Thus, the PCR-CGE-LIF method established was useful for the detection of chicken or turkey in heat treated meat mixtures and may prove to be useful for the detection of poultry meat in pork processed products.