Research & Development World

  • Home Page
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Archeology
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Chemistry
    • COVID-19
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Market Pulse
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
      • Software
    • Semiconductors
  • 2021 R&D 100 Award Winners
    • R&D 100 Awards
    • 2020 Winners
    • Winner Archive
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Webinars

Biosensor Quickly Detects Horse Meat Posing as Beef

By Universidad Complutense De Madrid | September 12, 2017

The adulterating of beef with horse meat can now be detected with an electrochemical biosensor developed by the Complutense University of Madrid, which is able to recognize a DNA fragment that exists among 4500 mitochondrial genomes of horses, and which is absent in other mammals.

“Thus, it is possible to identify selectively and without false positives any type of horse meat, regardless of race,” says F. Javier Gallego, researcher of the department of Genetics of the UCM. This biosensor makes detections in only one hour and with statistically significant differences between unadulterated and adulterated beef with only 0.5 percent (w/w) of horse meat.

Until now, the assays and strategies to detect these meat adulterations were based on immunological, spectroscopic or molecular biology techniques. “These methods are often insufficiently selective to differentiate close animal species due to the possibility of cross-reactions, or insufficiently reliable in processed products due to the denaturation and degradation of the biomolecules (proteins and nuclear DNA) that are produced by these thermal treatments,” says Susana Campuzano, a researcher in the department of Analytical Chemistry of the UCM and co-author of the study published in Analytical Chemistry.

The multidisciplinary team found that better results were obtained in mitochondrial DNA fragments than in nuclear DNA because the former is more protected and better resistant to possible heat treatments. These results are the result of collaboration between the Faculties of Chemistry and Biology of the UCM. While Gallego’s team has identified the specific fragment to be detected, designed the appropriate probe for it, and contributed knowledge and experience in techniques of mitochondrial DNA extraction and preparation of mitochondrial lysates, the Department of Analytical Chemistry, led by Professor José M. Pingarrón, has designed an electrochemical biosensor capable of satisfying the requirements of sensitivity and selectivity necessary to comply with current legislation for the detection of this type of adulteration. Most of the experimental work that has led to this development has been carried out by the PhD student Víctor Ruiz-Valdepeñas Montiel (with a Predoctoral contract funded by UCM) and Master Student María Luisa Gutiérrez.

“In addition to moving to the identification of other mammalian DNAs, this methodology could be applied for both the detection of adulterations involving other animal meats and for screening purposes to identify all animal species present in a meat,” says Pingarrón.

Source: Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Related Articles Read More >

Q-CTRL introduces quantum sensing division to meet market demands
R&D 100 winner of the day: OH0TA OVMed Medical Image Sensor
R&D 100 winner of the day: BLK247 from Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon
Sandia Labs shows advanced wayfinding tech could finally become compact, fieldable
2021 R&D Global Funding Forecast

Need R&D World news in a minute?

We Deliver!
R&D World Enewsletters get you caught up on all the mission critical news you need in research and development. Sign up today.
Enews Signup

R&D World Digital Issues

February 2020 issue

Browse the most current issue of R&D World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading R& magazine today.

Research & Development World
  • Subscribe to R&D World Magazine
  • Enews Sign Up
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • 2022 Global Funding Forecast

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search R&D World

  • Home Page
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Archeology
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Chemistry
    • COVID-19
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Market Pulse
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
      • Software
    • Semiconductors
  • 2021 R&D 100 Award Winners
    • R&D 100 Awards
    • 2020 Winners
    • Winner Archive
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Webinars