A US firm has developed the quickest and easiest test available to detect raw pork in meat and environmental samples. In the wake of Horsegate, demand for accurate testing has risen.
Neogen’s new Reveal for Pork test provides accurate results in just five minutes after extraction. The new test can detect as little as 0.5% raw pork in meat samples, and has also been validated for use with environmental swabs and rinse water samples, the firm said.
“To ensure consumer confidence, the food industry continues to strengthen its food safety management systems. There is a need for a quick and easy test to help prevent the accidental or deliberate inclusion of pork in other raw processed meats, and to validate cleaning following product changeovers,” said Neogen Europe’s Steve Chambers. “In just minutes, with minimal equipment, a company can assure its consumers that its products are safe and wholesome — and properly labelled.”
The new test for pork follows Neogen’s very easy Reveal format, which utilises lateral flow test strips to produce easy-to-interpret results.
In both internal and independent testing, Reveal for Pork has been shown to accurately detect raw pork. The test does not produce false positive results if the sample contained only meat from non-target species, such as beef, horse, poultry or sheep.
Neogen’s full line of meat speciation products also includes BioKits tests for species identification, which provide sensitive and specific qualitative detection of a range of animal species. BioKits tests are available for cooked pork, beef, poultry and sheep, and for raw cow, pig, sheep, poultry and horse species.
Neogen Corporation develops and markets products dedicated to food and animal safety. The company’s Food Safety Division markets dehydrated culture media and diagnostic test kits to detect foodborne bacteria, natural toxins, food allergens, drug residues, plant diseases and sanitation concerns. Neogen’s Animal Safety Division is a leader in the development of animal genomics along with the manufacturing and distribution of a variety of animal healthcare products, including diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, veterinary instruments, wound care and disinfectants.
