Correct labelling of animal based products is essential for consumer protection and in the case of Bangladesh for religious reasons. A survey was carried on 64 meat products both locally produced and imported (40 chicken labelled products and 24 beef labelled products) purchased from local retailers in Dhaka. Also, 25 Mozzarella-type cheese products both locally produced and imported were similarly collected. The samples were analysed using 2 duplex PCR assays of species specific primers from the mitochondrial Cyt B gene, namely beef-buffalo and chicken-pork assays. Of the 22 Bangladeshi beef labelled products, 2 contained buffalo DNA and 5 contained chicken DNA. The 2 imported beef products from Malaysia contained buffalo DNA, as did 8 of the 12 imported chicken products. Buffalo DNA was detected in 4 out of the 12 locally produced cheese products labelled as produced from cows milk. None of the samples, which were labelled as halal had pork DNA detected.
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