Development of a PCR-based assay for detection of Chinese mink tissue in meat products based on the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome-b gene

Species authentication of meat product origins has become an important subject for ensuring the health of consumers. Based on the cytochrome b gene, we developed a PCR-based assay kit for identification of Chinese mink tissues from 10 animal species in meat products, and to evaluate its quality indices including specificity, stability, sensitivity, and repeatability. Kits were made up of DNA extraction and PCR amplification systems based on species-specific, and universal primers. The reference meat mixtures and commercial samples were extracted by the kit and PCR technique was performed to identify the species of mink authenticity. The kit was effective after 20 repeated freeze–thaw cycles and it could be stored at –20 °C for 1 year. The sensitivity showed that a concentration as low as 0.1 ng/μL still can amplify the target band. The specificity test confirmed that the kit was 100% specific. The kit proved to be effective, stable, and reliable for extraction of efficient contents of the genomic DNA and routine analysis of Chinese mink source composition from meat products.