Elsayed A. Ismail

Pork detection in binary meat mixtures and some commercial food products using conventional and real-time PCR techniques

Pork DNA was detected in meat mixtures using both conventional PCR and real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Thirty meat mixtures containing beef, chicken, camel, rabbit, goat and sheep with varying percentage of pork (0%, 1%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) and 75 commercial food products, were analyzed using conventional and RT-PCR to determine the presence of pork DNA. Pork DNA standard curves and cycle threshold (Ct) values were used for quantification. The detection limits for pork DNA in the mixtures were 0.22, 0.047, 0.048, 0.0000037, 0.015ng/μl respectively. Unlike conventional PCR, RT-PCR detected pork DNA in nine processed food samples [chicken sausages (2), chicken luncheon (2), turkey meat loaf, milk chocolate with soft nougat, jelly, cake, and candies] at pork DNA concentrations of 0.0001ng/μl or less.

Structural characteristics of camel-bone gelatin by demineralization and extraction

ABSTRACT Camel bone was demineralized through HCl acidulation process at different concentrations (0.0%, 1.5%, 3.0%, and 6.0%) over 1–5 days. The level of demineralization was acid concentration and soaking time dependent. Highest demineralization (62.0%) was recorded in bone sample treated with 6.0% dilute acid for 5 days. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) elemental analysis revealed reduction in Ca and increase in N and H, while O remains unaffected. Particulate characteristics by scanning electron microscope showed an increased surface roughness of bone after demineralization. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis of ossein depicted the presence of functional group similar to that of bone protein (collagen). Statistical optimization by central composite design (CCD) revealed a significant quadratic model for optimum values of extraction temperature, pH, and extraction time. The highest gelatin yield from camel bone was 23.66% at optimum extraction condition (71.87°C, pH 5.26, and 2.58 h) and the bloom was 205.74 g. Camel bone is suitable for production of gelatin with good potentials in food and nonfood applications.