Detection for Horse-Derived Components in Foods by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract:

Species-specific real-time PCR assay was developed for the detection of horse-derived materials in foods. Primers and probes were designed with horse conservative regions of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (amplicon=127 bp). The specificity was evaluated and no amplifications on DNA from other meats came under observation. The method was specific for horse-derived materials，and the limit of detection was 1.25 pg of horse DNA and 0.001% (w/w) for horse powder. All these results confirmed that the real-time PCR assay is a rapid，sensitive and specific routine food analysis for the detection of horse in foods.