Detecting undeclared porcine components in processed food is a particular analytical challenge. This is because there is a large demographic of consumers who choose to avoid pork derivatives at even small concentrations in their food (e.g. for religious regions) but the act of processing often means there is little intact DNA to measure. For ingredients such as stocks and gelatines, tests are usually based on proteins rather than DNA. Two review articles have recently been published.
In this review (purchase required) aims to thoroughly assess methods for detecting proteins derived from pork and innovative biosensor technologies designed for identifying porcine DNA in food products. The authors aim to go beyond merely listing methods and technologies. They take the extra step of critically evaluating the strengths and limitations of each approach.
The article delves into the prevalent problem of detecting porcine DNA in food products within the international food processing sector. It provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of various techniques for detecting pork-based proteins. These techniques encompass electrophoresis, immunoassay, chromatography, and spectroscopy. Additionally, it explores the potential of cutting-edge biosensor technologies in identifying porcine DNA in food products. Various biosensors, including electrochemical, optical, luminescence, and colorimetric, are scrutinized for their potential impact on the industry. Finally, future trends in detection technologies related to pork derivatives are discussed. The authors conclude that incorporating micro/nanofiber and artificial intelligence into biosensors can enhance their sensitivity, accuracy, and capacity to detect and identify pork proteins in food.
In this 2nd review (purchase required, but free to IFST members) focusses on recent advances in rapid biosensors for detecting porcine DNA or proteins in gelatine. The authors discuss and evaluate biosensor methods, comparing them with various analytical methods in terms of their popularity and precision. They highlight new biosensor methods and identify a reference for a rapid, accurate, portable and simple method for gelatine detection with a low detection limit and high specificity.
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