Flesh ID: Nanopore Sequencing Combined with Offline BLAST Search for the Identification of Meat Source

Jonas Kissenkötter; Susanne Böhlken-Fascher; Ahmed Abd El Wahed

doi:10.3390/foods9101392

Flesh ID: Nanopore Sequencing Combined with Offline BLAST Search for the Identification of Meat Source

Foods. 2020 Oct 1;9(10):1392. doi: 10.3390/foods9101392.

Authors

Jonas Kissenkötter¹, Susanne Böhlken-Fascher¹, Ahmed Abd El Wahed^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal Science, Division of Microbiology and Animal Hygiene, Georg-August-University of Goettingen, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany.
² Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.

Abstract

Detection of animal species in meat product is crucial to prevent adulterated and unnecessary contamination during processing, in addition to avoid allergy and religious consequences. Gold standard is the real-time PCR assays, which has a limited target capability. In this study, we have established a rapid sequencing protocol to identify animal species within hours. Sequencing was achieved by nanopore sequencing and data analysis via offline BLAST search. The whole procedure was conducted in a mobile suitcase lab. As per national and international regulations, the developed assay detected adulteration of pork meat with 0.1% of horse, chicken, turkey, cattle, sheep, duck, rabbit, goat, and donkey. The developed test could be used on-site as a rapid and mobile detection system to determine contamination of meat products.

Keywords: meat adulteration; nanopore sequencing; point-of-need; rapid sequencing protocol.