Research project to validate methods to quantify horse & pork meat adulteration

Tender description

The purpose of this proposed research is to build on what has been developed so far to extend the use of real-time qPCR for both pork and horsemeat quantification in processed beef matrices e.g. cottage pie. The Authenticity Methods Working Group (AMWG) has highlighted this research need based on intelligence that meat substitution is still likely to be the most common manifestation of food fraud experienced by UK consumers, coupled with the cultural importance of diversifying methods to apply to pork testing. [The research will not further develop research on digital PCR due to cost and lack of dPCR capabilities in Public Analysts laboratories