DNA IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIES OF MEAT AND PLANT RAW MATERIALS IN FINISHED PRODUCTS BASED ON PCR

The aim of this work is to identify the species of raw materials in meat and fish products using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This method is capable of detecting with high accuracy the presence of the declared species-specific fragment contained in the sample in very small quantities. The studies were conducted in 2024 at Tatar branch of Federal Center for Animal Health. (FSBI “VNIIZZh”). For comprehensive laboratory studies, 18 types of meat and fish products sold in retail food stores located in the area of responsibility of FSBI “VNIIZZh” were selected. As a result of RT-PCR, it was found that in such products as meatballs, “Aristokrat” rump steak, “Afanasevskie” cutlets, triangle with beef, the presence of a sufficient amount of species-specific chicken DNA characteristic of chicken meat was not detected, which confirms that the type of meat (except poultry) corresponds to the declared one. The products bavette with turkey and mushrooms, turkey in pepper sauce and basmati rice with basil, khinkali made of Halal beef, dumplings “Beef”, pink salmon fillet correspond to the declared type of meat and fish. However, pig DNA was identified in the boiled sausages “With beef”, and pollock DNA was found in the cod liver, which indicates falsification and discrepancy with the declared composition of the product. When examining dumplings, jellied meat, sausages, boiled sausage for the presence of soy ingredients, soy DNA was not detected in these products. Therefore, one of the most accurate methods capable of identifying the species of products and detecting falsification is the polymerase chain reaction.