Expert asks: Was it horse “meat” in the beef burgers?

Professor Ellen Billett

A professor of molecular jail cellphone biological scientific discipline has weighed inwards on the adulterated meat illustration inwards United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland together with Ireland, bespeak whether the uncovering of Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid inwards beef burgers had genuinely been proven to live on “meat”.

Professor Ellen Billett, from Nottingham Trent University, was commenting next publicity about the Food Safety Authority of Republic of Ireland (FSAI) findings inwards a targeted study which examined the authenticity, or labelling accuracy, of a beef burger, beef repast together with salami products available from retail outlets inwards Ireland.

In particular, the survey investigated the presence of Equus caballus together with grunter deoxyribonucleic acid inwards products.

It was reported that the study “revealed the presence of Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid inwards some beef burger products”.

Of item trouble organisation was the fact that i burger reportedly contained 29 per cent Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid relative to beef DNA, which is claimed to dot that “horse meat accounted for only about 29 per cent relative to the beef content.”

While the storey is manifestly of world concern, world wellness issues may non live on involved, Billett said.

“What is clear is that customers are existence misled past times the production labels together with it appears that retailers are existence allow downwards past times suppliers, every bit noted past times Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI.

“Of most involvement are the methods used inwards the survey,” Billett said.

“The FSAI study clearly stated that the analyses involved detection of DNA, but subsequent discussions accept assumed that the presence of deoxyribonucleic acid of a item species correlates amongst the presence of meat from that species.

“According to strict nutrient labelling legislation, the meat content of a production refers exclusively to skeletal musculus together with undeclared blood together with offal – organs such every bit heart, liver, lung together with kidney – is non permitted.

“What may non live on realised is that, since deoxyribonucleic acid is the same inwards all organs/tissues, DNA-based detection methods cannot distinguish betwixt meat together with other organs/tissues.

“Thus, the claim that 29 per cent Equus caballus ‘meat’ is introduce inwards i of the burgers has non been substantiated. In other words, other Equus caballus organs/tissues may live on present.

“Of farther involvement is that John Humphrys, when introducing Professor Patrick Wall, Professor of Public Health, University College Dublin, on the Radio four Today programme [recently], indicated the surveillance was conducted because offal was suspected to live on introduce inwards the samples. This begs the interrogation – is offal present?

“Although DNA-based methods cannot distinguish betwixt organs/tissues, the goodness word is that tests are available to honor the presence of diverse offals together with added blood inwards meat products. These tests accept been developed over a number of years past times the Food Authenticity Group at Nottingham Trent University, partly funded past times the Food Standards Agency together with the Department for Environment, Food together with Rural Affairs.

“The tests are based on the detection of specific proteins which distinguish betwixt skeletal musculus together with heart, liver, blood etc together with tin live on used on both fresh together with processed foods.”

Billett said the Nottingham Trent University grouping would welcome the chance to apply their tests to flora the identity of the Equus caballus tissue/organ introduce inwards the burger containing the highest degree of Equus caballus DNA, together with to show for the undeclared add-on of offal together with blood inwards other products.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Ireland’s ABP Food Group, which owns ii of the plants where products containing Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid were detected, says he is “disgusted” past times what he calls the tabloid sensationalism about the story.

Larry Goodman told the Financial Times: “We are talking nigh deoxyribonucleic acid testing together with deoxyribonucleic acid volition selection upwards molecules together with something inwards the air.

“I would non live on surprised if at that topographic point was non cross-contamination of diverse species if i were to produce deoxyribonucleic acid testing.”

The 3 plants involved – ii inwards Republic of Ireland together with i inwards United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland – accept implicated suppliers of filler products from the continent every bit the root of the contamination.

 

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