Authentication of carabeef (water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis) using highly specific polymerase chain reaction

• DOI: 10.1007/s00217-011-1583-9
• Publication Date: 2011-10-12T03:16:57Z
• Authors: Nagappa S. Karaba...; S. P. Singh; V. Umapathi; Patil Shivanagowd...; Sunil N. Shebannavar; Deepak Kumar
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0402 animal and dairy science; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; 3. Good health

In order to ensure consumer satisfaction and fraud detection, correct identification of meat animal species becomes significant. Buffalo being one of the major meat animal species in Asia, a species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed for the accurate identification of carabeef (water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis) targeting mitochondrial D-loop region. Unique diagnostic PCR developed in this study employed novel primers to yield a 534-bp buffalo-specific PCR product, and chances of cross-amplification were excluded by including as many as 25 animal species. Applicability of PCR was established in raw, cooked (60, 80 and 100 °C for 30 min), autoclaved (121 °C for 30 min) and microoven-processed meats with a sensitivity of detection of 0.1% adulteration (10 pg bubaline DNA). Keeping in view adulteration, socio-economic, religious, quality assurance, forensic and legal issues, the novel buffalo-specific PCR developed in this study was found highly promising in authenticating buffalo meat, ensuring consumer satisfaction and labeling process.