The authors of this study (here – purchase required) recommend a protocol for authenticity testing of processed meats that combines PCR with histology. PCR indicates species substitution whilst histology indicates substitution with cheaper organs from the same species. They reported that, for a market survey of 105 sausages and beef hams in Iran, neither technique on its own gave a true picture; in fact, by PCR alone, all of the sausage samples would have been reported as unadulterated. It was only by combining the techniques that they found over 55% of the hams and 65% of the sausages to be adulterated, mainly with cheaper tissues from the same species. It proves the continued value of histology, which requires experienced microscopists to interpret slides; an increasingly rare skill within routine analytical laboratories.
Photo by Harpreet Singh on Unsplash
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