Meat speciation testing: the challenges - GlobalMeatNews.com

Global Meat News caught up with Eurofins Food Testing UK & Ireland Group chemistry technical manager Dionisis Theodosis to discuss the importance of testing and coping with the media portrayal in the wake of the horse meat scandal of 2013.

Eurofins Food Testing UK & Ireland is currently accredited to test for eight different meat species (beef, pork, lamb, goat, horse, chicken, turkey and fallow deer), mostly to support labelling claims that food is free from meat or meat products in light of a growing market for vegan and vegetarian options. Testing is also undertaken for ethical or religious reasons such as tests for pork that are requested so that halal labelling can be used.

Theodosis explains how delicate the process is and that it’s not always clearcut. “The sensitivity of the tests depends on how processed the product is, and how much DNA can be extracted, as this is not uniform through each sample. Some testing is inconclusive which can be due to over-processing or other ingredients which have been added; in some cases, it may be possible to use protein-based approaches to carry out the analysis or try and detect indirect chemical characteristics, however in reality it is not always possible to have a conclusive result. Customers are made aware from the outset of this possibility, and lots has been done in recent years to educate the food sector about the types and sensitivity of testing, as well as about how results will be reported back to them.”​

He said that the rise in vegan and vegetarian products has added another variable. “Last year, a number of articles appeared about vegan and vegetarian products having traces of meat. The vegan food market is expanding rapidly, so immediately lots of questions were asked about testing. Our aim is to support our customers by providing reliable results, but also being specific about what the analysis means. In the absence of one definition of a ‘vegan’ product, we are working towards a moving goalpost so we are always clear that this is not a claim that can be verified solely by laboratory testing. Analytical results should be used in conjunction with risk assessments, supply chain audits, factory audits and robust traceability data.”​

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