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Species-specific detection of proteins – alternatives to microscopy and PCR
Research is being conducted in two directions in the BfR Food Safety
Department: the development of antibody-based quick test methods
for animal species differentiation in cooperation with a partner institute
and the development of suitable mass spectrometric methods in the
National Reference Laboratory for Animal Protein in Feed (NRL-TP).
New enrichment and filtration methods have to be developed in order
to obtain sufficient protein or protein fragments for further analysis. The
specific use of antibodies or aptamers (DNA or RNA molecules which
can bind with high affinity to certain protein sections, just like antibod-
ies) in combination with special extraction and molecule size exclusion
methods is opening up promising new perspectives in this area.
Against the background of an increase in the number of cases of fraud,
validated detection methods for species-specific protein would make
a valuable contribution towards traceability and the discovery of adul-
terations in foods and feeds.
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Protein detection
Mass spectrometry
Preparation of samples
Aptamers
ssDNA or RNA
Antibody/immunochemical methods
Preparation of samples
Main Topics 2015
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Authenticity testing