Detection of mislabeling in packaged chicken sausages by PCR

MARILISA BOTTARO¹, PATRIZIA MARCHETTI¹, ANNA MOTTOLA¹, FATMIRA SHEHU², ANGELA DI PINTO¹

¹Department of Veterinary Medicine – University of Bari Aldo Moro – Prov. le Casamassima, km 3 – 70010 Valenzano (Bari) – ITALY

²Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM), Kodër-Kamëz, Tirana, Albania

*Corresponding author: m.bottaro87@gmail.com

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Abstract:

Considering that the authentication of food contents is one of the most important issues for the food quality sector, this study investigates processed-meat products from Italian markets and supermarkets using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene qualitative PCR identification system in order to verify any species substitution or mislabeling. The results revealed a high substitution rate among the packaged chicken sausages, highlighting a mislabeling rate of 54%, and consequently, considerable discordance with the indications on the labels, which raises significant food-safety and consumer-protection concerns. The study also revealed important management implications, suggesting the need for implementation of effective and accurate monitoring and tracking programs

Key words: packaged chicken sausages, speciesidentification, DNA-based method