Differentiation of meat according to species by the electrophoretic separation of muscle lactate dehydrogenase and esterase isoenzymes and isoelectric focusing of soluble muscle proteins

Species identification of fresh meat can be readily achieved by serological techniques with the limitation that closely related species, such as sheep/goat, cattle/buffalo and horse/donkey, cannot be differentiated. We have examined electrophoretic techniques with particular reference to the identification of meat from closely related species. The results showed that beef and buffalo meat and meat from red and grey kangaroos could be clearly distinguished by isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gel or agarose in the pH range 5.5 to 8.5. Sheep and goat meat, and horse and donkey meat could not be differentiated by this technique, but were clearly distinguished from each other by their esterase isoenzyme profiles obtained after electrophoretic separation on cellulosic membrane strips. Results from this latter technique were available in one hour. We believe that species identification of fresh meat should involve an initial screening test by serological techniques followed by confirmation of the identity of suspect samples by electrophoretic techniques.