Thermo Scientific RapidFinder Meat ID assays for vegan and Halal food testing

Thermo Fisher Scientific has added assays for vegan and Halal testing to its Thermo Scientific RapidFinder Meat and Fish ID range. The assays follow the same sample preparation and PCR procedures as other RapidFinder Meat ID assays, enabling them to be run together with existing workflows to maximise laboratory efficiency.

Food manufacturers and retailers need to know the claims they have on their labels are accurate if they are to ensure regulatory compliance and consumer confidence, but the growing complexity of global supply chains and the continual downward pressure on price leaves ingredients vulnerable to food fraud. With the RapidFinder Meat ID range, food testing laboratories can provide peace of mind through a simple, flexible workflow that returns same-day results.

The flexible workflow allows for DNA extraction from samples of up to 20 g, using either a manual or automated procedure for the high throughput of multiple samples. Identification targets mitochondrial DNA for high sensitivity and specificity, with the RapidFinder Halal ID Kit, which tests for pork, recording a sensitivity rate of 0.0005%.

After detection, the RapidFinder Quant Multi-Meat Sets provide same-day quantification via qPCR. An internal amplification control (IAC) is included in each PCR reaction to rule out the false negatives sometimes associated with food stuffs that can prevent PCR from occurring effectively.

The simple-to-use, real-time PCR-based assays require no electrophoresis, for clear result interpretation. They are compatible with any food or feed sample, both raw and processed, with a meat quantification kit available.

The RapidFinder Meat ID range also includes kits for detection of beef, equine, chicken, and other animal and fish DNA.