Detection of banned meat and bone meal in feedstuffs by near-infrared microscopic analysis of the dense sediment fraction

In this paper we present an alternative method for detection of meat and bone meal (MBM) in feedstuffs by near-infrared microscopic (NIRM) analysis of the particles in the sediment fraction (dense fraction (d >1.62) from dichloroethylene) of compound feeds. To apply this method the particles of the sediment fraction are spread on a sample holder and presented to the NIR microscope. By using the pointer of the microscope the infrared beam is focussed on each particle and the NIR spectrum (1112–2500 nm) is collected. This method can be used to detect the presence of MBM at concentrations as low as 0.05% mass fraction. When results from the NIRM method were compared with the classical microscopic method, a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.87 was obtained. The results of this study demonstrated that this method could be proposed as a complementary tool for the detection of banned MBM in feedstuffs by reinforcement of the monitoring of feeds.     

Thermal decomposition of meat and bone meal

A series of runs has been performed to study the thermal behavior of meat and bone meal (MBM) both in inert and reactive atmosphere. Although they are actually burned, the thermal decomposition of such MBM wastes has not been studied from a scientific point of view until now. The aim of this work is to present and discuss the thermogravimetric behavior of MBM both in nitrogen and air atmospheres. A thermobalance has been used to carry out the study at three different heating rates. A kinetic scheme able to correlate simultaneously (with no variation of the kinetic constants) the runs performed at different heating rates and different atmospheres of reaction is presented.     

A Markov random field based approach to the identification of meat and bone meal in feed by near-infrared spectroscopic imaging

Contaminated meat and bone meal (MBM) in animal feedstuff has been the source of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) disease in cattle, leading to a ban in its use, so methods for its detection are essential. In this study, five pure feed and five pure MBM samples were used to prepare two sets of sample arrangements: set A for investigating the discrimination of individual feed/MBM particles and set B for larger numbers of overlapping particles. The two sets were used to test a Markov random field (MRF)-based approach. A Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) imaging system was used for data acquisition. The spatial resolution of the near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic image was 25 μm?×?25 μm. Each spectrum was the average of 16 scans across the wavenumber range 7,000-4,000 cm^?1, at intervals of 8 cm^?1. This study introduces an innovative approach to analyzing NIR spectroscopic images: an MRF-based approach has been developed using the iterated conditional mode (ICM) algorithm, integrating initial labeling-derived results from support vector machine discriminant analysis (SVMDA) and observation data derived from the results of principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that MBM covered by feed could be successfully recognized with an overall accuracy of 86.59 % and a Kappa coefficient of 0.68. Compared with conventional methods, the MRF-based approach is capable of extracting spectral information combined with spatial information from NIR spectroscopic images. This new approach enhances the identification of MBM using NIR spectroscopic imaging.

Key parameters for the development of a NIR microscopic method for the quantification of processed by-products of animal origin in compound feedingstuffs

The aim of this work is to show new advances in the analytical methods developed in the frame of the ban of processed animal by-products in compound feed that is currently applied within the European Union. With this aim, studies to develop a quantitative near infrared microscopy (NIRM) approach have been undertaken in order to fulfil future requirements of European legislation like the introduction of tolerance levels that would require for official control purposes the availability of specific quantitative methods. The capabilities of the NIRM method have been improved; no sample preparation is required and the acquisition parameters are optimised. Both the gross and the fine fractions of the samples are considered; the reflexion mode was used to analyse the gross raw fraction and the transmission mode was chosen to analyse the fine raw fraction. Parameters for reflexion analyses were already fixed in our previous studies while those of transmission mode have been determined in the present study. Because particles are too small, it is difficult to mark them; spectra were collected using the mapping technique. Quantitative analyses have been carried out for different percentages of adulteration (0.5, 1, 2 and 5%). Results were depending on the particle size distribution of the feed and of the fish meal which led to experimental values of adulteration varying between 0.13–0.92%, 0.93–3.7%, 2.42–5.83% and 1.95–9.39% for theoretical percentages of adulteration equal to 0.5, 1, 2 and 5%, respectively. The established protocol with the key parameters proposed has to be considered for the development of an accurate method of quantification.     

A confirmatory method for detection of a banned substance: the validation experience of a routine EU laboratory

The Commission Decision 2002/657/EC is a fundamental reference document for the UE laboratories involved in residue analysis although its implementation has caused some difficulties in the requirements interpretation. In this work a pragmatic validation approach of a quantitative confirmatory method for the detection of 17-alpha-(alpha-NT) and 17-beta-19-nortestosterone (beta-NT) in bovine urine by gas chromatography mass spectrometry is proposed. The 19-nortestosterone is a banned anabolic steroid for which no minimum required performance limit (MRPL) has been laid down, therefore the limit reported in Italian Residue Monitoring Plan (2 microg L(-1)) has been considered the reference level to evaluate the method performances. The decision limit (CCalpha) and the detection capability (CCbeta) were obtained by the calibration curve procedure. The minimum required performance level (mrpl), which represents the starting concentration of the calibration curves, was preliminary fixed estimating the results dispersion of blank urine samples fortified at 2 microg L(-1) for each isomer. The found CCalpha and CCbeta were 1.5 and 1.9 microg L(-1) for alpha-NT and 1.2 and 1.4 microg L(-1) for beta-NT. The precision (repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility) and recoveries were suitable for the investigated concentration range (1-3 microg L(-1)). Finally, the method ruggedness (minor and major changes) has been also demonstrated.     

Detection of bovine meat and bone meal in animal feed at a level of 0.1%

For the control of the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle via feedstuff, a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was developed with ruminant-specific Bov-B SINE primers, SYBR Green fluorescence detection, and melting curve analysis. In formulated cattle and chicken feed samples spiked with pure bovine and sheep meat and bone meal heated at 133 degrees C for 20 min, a contamination level of 0.1% was detected.     

Validation and transferability study of a method based on near-infrared hyperspectral imaging for the detection and quantification of ergot bodies in cereals

In recent years, near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging has proved its suitability for quality and safety control in the cereal sector by allowing spectroscopic images to be collected at single-kernel level, which is of great interest to cereal control laboratories. Contaminants in cereals include, inter alia, impurities such as straw, grains from other crops, and insects, as well as undesirable substances such as ergot (sclerotium of Claviceps purpurea). For the cereal sector, the presence of ergot creates a high toxicity risk for animals and humans because of its alkaloid content. A study was undertaken, in which a complete procedure for detecting ergot bodies in cereals was developed, based on their NIR spectral characteristics. These were used to build relevant decision rules based on chemometric tools and on the morphological information obtained from the NIR images. The study sought to transfer this procedure from a pilot online NIR hyperspectral imaging system at laboratory level to a NIR hyperspectral imaging system at industrial level and to validate the latter. All the analyses performed showed that the results obtained using both NIR hyperspectral imaging cameras were quite stable and repeatable. In addition, a correlation higher than 0.94 was obtained between the predicted values obtained by NIR hyperspectral imaging and those supplied by the stereo-microscopic method which is the reference method. The validation of the transferred protocol on blind samples showed that the method could identify and quantify ergot contamination, demonstrating the transferability of the method. These results were obtained on samples with an ergot concentration of 0.02 % which is less than the EC limit for cereals (intervention grains) destined for humans fixed at 0.05 %.

Establishment of a multiplex-PCR detection method and development of a detection kit for five animal-derived components in edible meat

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection method for the simultaneous detection of animal-derived components from deer, cow, sheep, pig and horse in edible meat was established, and a multiplex PCR detection kit for the rapid detection of animal-derived components was developed. According to the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene of bovine species, sheep species, pig species and horse species and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX 1) gene of sika deer and red deer as the target gene sequences of primers, the specific primers of five different species were designed, the PCR system was optimized, and the multiplex PCR identification method of five animal-derived components was established. The minimum detection amount was determined by sensitivity test. The results showed that five meat specific amplification bands could be found at the same time in the same reaction system, including 173 bp fragment for venison, 148 bp for beef, 261 bp for pork, 100 bp for mutton and 424 bp for horse, indicating that the method is specific and stable. The minimum detection limit by this method was 1 ng/μL, showing a high sensitivity. According to the different sites in different areas of animal mitochondrial genes, a multiplex PCR detection method was established and a detection kit was developed, and the rapid, sensitive, stable and high-throughput detection of five animal-derived components and adulterated animal components in edible meat can be realized by using the kit.     

Determination of embutramide and pentobarbital in meat and bone meal by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

An analytical procedure, consisting of multiple steps, was developed for the analysis of meat and bone meal for two veterinary drugs, embutramide and pentobarbital, used for euthanasia. After a combined extraction, embutramide was converted to its trimethylsilylether derivative and pentobarbital was methylated. Both analytes were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the electron impact or chemical ionisation mode. Limits of determination and identification were between 50 and 100 micrograms kg-1 depending on the compound and the ionisation technique applied. Particular attention was focused on the identification of the analytes.     

Pyrolysis of cohesive meat and bone meal in a bubbling fluidized bed with an intermittent solid slug feeder

Meat and bone meal (MBM) is a mass-produced by-product of the meat rendering industry. It has great potential as a feedstock for the production of bio-fuels. Meat and bone meal, however, is a highly cohesive and temperature sensitive material and has traditionally been found to be very difficult, if not impossible, to feed properly into pyrolysis reactors or bubbling fluidized beds. This study showcases an application of the ICFAR intermittent solid slug feeder technology and its capability of successfully feeding the MBM regularly at an average feeding rate of 0.34 g/s into the reactor.A highly automated and instrumented fast pyrolysis pilot plant has been used to process meat and bone meal residues and to operate within a wide range of temperatures (450–600 °C). This is the first study dealing with the pyrolysis of pure meat and bone meal at various operating conditions continuously fed into a laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactor. All liquid and solid products have been analyzed (yields, HHV, GC–MS, elemental analysis, and ash mineral analysis). The homogenous bio-oil produced is an attractive fuel with a significant high heating value (HHV) of 31.5 MJ/kg and an average liquid yield of 43 wt% at 550 °C. The highest water-free HHV (36.7 MJ/kg) was found at 500 °C, with a liquid yield of 35 wt% at this temperature. The optimized pyrolysis temperature, at which the heat from the gas combustion can provide the heat required for processing MBM, while maximizing the bio-oil liquid yield and process energy yield, is 550 °C. Under these conditions, the pyrolysis process energy yield is 91%.The study also demonstrates a new technique to accurately determine the heat of pyrolysis reaction energy required by the process, using a non-invasive water calibration method.     

Determination of processed animal proteins, including meat and bone meal, in animal feed

An intercomparison study was conducted to determine the presence of processed animal proteins (PAPs), including meat and bone meal (MBM) from various species, in animal feed. The performances of different methods, such as microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunoassays, and a protocol based on iquid chromatography (LC), were compared. Laboratories were asked to analyze for PAPs from all terrestrial animals and fish (total PAPs); mammalian PAPs; ruminant PAPs; and porcine PAPs. They were free to use their method of choice. In addition, laboratories using microscopy were asked to determine the presence of PAPs from terrestrial animals, which is applicable only to microscopy. For total PAPs microscopy, LC and some immunoassays showed sufficient results at a concentration as low as 0.1% MBM in the feed. In contrast, PCR was not fit for purpose. In differentiating between MBM from terrestrial animals and fishmeal, microscopy detected 0.5% of terrestrial MBM in feed in the presence of 5% fishmeal, but was less successful when the concentration of MBM from terrestrial animals was 0.1%. The animal-specific determination of MBM from mammals or, more specifically from either ruminants or pigs, by PCR showed poor results, as indicated by a high number of false-positive and false-negative results. The only PCR method that scored quite well was applied by a member of the organizer team of the study. Immunoassays scored much better than PCR, showing sufficient sensitivity but some deficiency in terms of specificity. The results also demonstrated that the reliable determination of MBM from ruminants has not been resolved, especially for low concentrations of MBM (0.1%) in feed. Comparison of the results for mammalian MBM from all methods indicated that, for control purposes, the immunoassay method, especially when applied as dipsticks, could be used as a rapid screening method combined with microscopy to confirm the positive samples. However, implementation of such a system would require that the immunoassays were previously validated to demonstrate that this approach is fit for purpose. The determination of ruminant or porcine PAPs by immunoassays was more difficult, partly because the MBM in this study contained about 50% bovine and porcine material, thereby reducing the target concentration level to 0.05%.     

A quantitative method for the detection of sulfonamide residues in meat and milk samples with a high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method.

Sulfonamides are widely used in veterinary medicine for prophylactic purposes and for the treatment of various infections of food-producing animals. This means that residues of these drugs and their possible metabolites may occur in food of animal origin. In Belgium, a zero tolerance level for sulfonamides in edible animal tissues has been set. In order to check this zero level on a routine basis, a rapid and sensitive method has to be available. For this purpose, a quantitative high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for the detection of sulfonamide residues in animal tissue and milk samples has been developed. The sample preparation consists of a liquid extraction followed by a solid phase extraction (SPE) on disposable columns for the meat samples and a matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD) for the milk samples. A three-multiple development chromatographic system is used for the separation and a derivatization with fluorescamine decreases the minimal detectable quantity per spot from 1.42 to 0.32 ng. The limit of quantification is 4 micrograms/kg for milk and meat samples.     

Development of a polymerase chain reaction and capillary gel electrophoresis method for the detection of chicken or turkey meat in heat-treated pork meat mixtures

A polymerase chain reaction and capillary gel electrophoresis (PCR-CGE) method with ultraviolet (UV) or laser induced fluorescence detection (LIF) was established for the detection of chicken or turkey in heat-treated pork meat mixtures. Mitochondrial DNA samples extracted from heat treated meat were amplified with their corresponding specific primers yielding PCR products between 200 and 300 bp. LIF detection was superior than UV detection in terms of precision and sensitivity for the study of DNA fragments. The CGE-LIF method was highly reproducible and accurate for determining DNA fragment size. The PCR-CGE-LIF was sensitive since a significant fluorescent signal was obtained at the minimum admixture level employed of 1% in meat mixtures. Thus, the PCR-CGE-LIF method established was useful for the detection of chicken or turkey in heat treated meat mixtures and may prove to be useful for the detection of poultry meat in pork processed products.     

Development of a multi-class method for the quantification of veterinary drug residues in feedingstuffs by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A simple multi-residue method was developed for detecting and quantifying 33 analytes from 13 classes of antibiotics (tetracyclines (3), quinolones (7), penicillins (3), ionophore coccidiostats (7), macrolides (3), sulfonamides (1), quinoxalines (2), phenicols (2), lincosamides (1), diaminopyrimidines (1), polypeptides (1), streptogramins (1) and pleuromutilins (1)) in animal feeds. Extraction and clean-up procedures were optimized with spiked piglet feed. Samples were extracted by ultrasonic-assisted extraction with a mixture of methanol/acetonitrile/McIlvaine buffer at pH 4.6 (37.5/37.5/25, v/v/v) containing 0.3% of EDTA-Na₂, followed by a clean up using a dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) with PSA (primary secondary amine). Detection of antibiotics was achieved by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI-MS/MS) within 28 min using both positive and negative ESI mode. Average recoveries ranged from 51% (oxytetracycline) to 116% (tilmicosin) with associated relative standard deviations of 7.3% and 9.0% and an overall mean of 87%. Limits of quantification ranged from 3.8 ng g⁻¹ (lincomycin) to 65.0 ng g⁻¹ (bacitracin). Following optimization, the method was further verified for bovine and lamb feedingstuffs; negative matrix effects were evaluated and overcome by a standard addition method.     

超高效液相串联质谱法检测牛肉中的马肉

利用超高效液相串联质谱法(UPLC-MS/MS)对牛肉中牛血清白蛋白(BSA)和马肉中马血清白蛋白(ESA)经胰蛋白酶消化后的目标肽进行鉴定,采用多反应监测(MRM)方法对结果进行验证,建立了一种检测牛肉中掺杂马肉的方法.对UPLC-MS/MS数据的深入研究表明,共检测到9个牛特异性多肽和17个马特异性多肽.其中DAFLGSFLYEYSR(m/z 784.3,Charge 2+)和ADFAEVSK(m/z 433.7,Charge 2+)的质谱响应最好,被选为牛肉和马肉定量的靶肽.所建方法在5.5～550.0和4.875～487.5 mg/L范围内线性关系较好(r~20.99),检测限、选择性、精密度、回收率和稳定性完全满足分析要求.     

Liquid chromatographic method to determine narasin in feedingstuffs and premixtures: development, validation, and interlaboratory study

A reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) method for narasin in feedingstuffs and premixtures was developed, validated, and interlaboratory studied. The extraction solvent was methanol-K2HPO4 solution (9 + 1, v/v). Narasin was detected at 600 nm after post-column derivatization with dimethylamino-benzaldehyde. Recovery was >90%. The repeatability (RSDr) in feed (20-140 mg/kg) ranged between 1.2 and 10.5%; the within-laboratory reproducibility (RSD(R)) ranged between 2.2 and 4.9%. The limit of determination was <20 mg/kg. Other feed additives did not interfere in the assay. The method showed ruggedness against changes in the composition of extraction solvent, eluent, and conditions for post-column reactions. In an interlaboratory study, 5 broiler feeds (4 positive, 1 blank) and 1 premixture were analyzed by 13 laboratories. The RSDr of the feedingstuffs (20-120 mg/kg) varied between 2.17 and 7.57%. The HORRAT ranged between 0.77 and 0.88, with recoveries between 82 and 104%. One laboratory detected small signals in the blank sample, calculated as 0.6 and 2.8 mg/kg. For the premixture, acceptable results for reproducibility could only be obtained after modification of the method: the RSDr was 4.42% and the HORRAT was 1.56 (12 laboratories).     

Real-time polymerase chain reaction approach for quantitation of ruminant-specific DNA to indicate a correlation between DNA amount and meat and bone meal heat treatments

The use of ruminant-derived proteins in ruminant feeds has been banned in both the European Union and the United States to prevent further spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Enforcement of these regulations relies on the ability to identify the presence of prohibited proteins in feed. We developed a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the quantification of ruminant-specific DNA as index of protein content. The assay is based on the amplification of a 117 base pair mitochondrial 16S rRNA DNA gene fragment and an internal positive control (IPC). The use of an IPC permits compensation for differences in DNA extraction efficiency and avoids the occurrence of false-negative results. We demonstrated a decrease in target DNA amount with a difference of 2 logs between meat and bone meal (MBM) treated at 133 degrees and 145 degrees C. Such a difference indicates that bias could occur when DNA-based methods are used for quantitation purposes. Risk management could benefit from future efforts concerning validation of the method for MBM detection in feedstuff and safety evaluation of the use of animal-derived proteins in animal nutrition.     

Development and validation of a rapid HPLC method for the determination of five banned fat-soluble colorants in spices using a narrow-bore monolithic column

This work reports a fast and simple liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of five banned fat-soluble synthetic colorants, namely Sudan I-IV and Para-Red, in spice samples. The analytes were successfully separated isocratically in less than 5 min on the new narrow bore monolithic column, FastGradient^® Chromolith (50 mm × 2.0 mm i.d.) using a mobile phase of 0.1% (v/v) HCOOH/acetonitrile (35/65%, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.5 mL min⁻¹. All colorants were detected at 506 nm. The main parameters (mobile phase composition, flow rate, injection volume) affecting the separation were studied. The proposed method was thoroughly validated in terms of linearity, LODs, precision and accuracy. The method was applied to the determination of the studied azo-dyes in various spices (paprika, chilli and mixed spice powders) after ultrasound-assisted extraction. Satisfactory recoveries, ranging from 92% to 109% were obtained.     

Hyphenation of a near-infrared Echelle spectrometer to a microplasma for element-selective detection in gas chromatography

The coupling of a near-infrared Echelle spectrometer (NIRES) with a gas chromatograph for element-selective detection is introduced. The miniaturized capacitive plasma device is operated at a frequency of 40.68 MHz and is mounted directly on an Hewlett-Packard HP6890 GC. First results with a mixture of halogenated standard compounds are presented and discussed in terms of the advantages and problems with this system.     

Application of near-infrared spectroscopy in the sugar industry for the detection of betaine

One problem in industrial molasses desugarization is the lack of a fast analytical method for process control. At the moment, control of the chromatographic production process is achieved by detecting refractive index and conductivity. However, since elution of some components takes place only in a narrowly defined time frame, the data gained are insufficient for effective online product quantification. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was applied to this process by development of a simple method for detection of betaine. Compared to chemometric models currently used, the developed method demonstrates the advantage of requiring only a small calibration set. Additionally, it can easily be transferred to other processes without further re-calibration. Based on the NIR spectrum of betaine, a characteristic peak in the spectrum could be assigned to the molasses compound betaine. A calibration was developed by using dissolved betaine in pure water. Afterwards, the calibration was tested for samples from a molasses desugarization process. The method was than successfully transferred to a complete chromatographic cycle of the industrial molasses desugarization process.