Detection of Mechanically Separated Meat from Chicken in Sausages and Cold Meat by Targeted LC–MS/MS Analysis

Abstract

AbstractThe use of mechanically separated meat (MSM) from poultry in meat and sausage products is subject to declaration. Current methods such as microscopy or calcium analysis have proven to be insufficient to ensure the specific detection of MSM in meat and sausage products. When using MSM during production, intervertebral disc and cartilage specific proteins from chicken unavoidably end up in the sausages. Thus, a pseudo-MRM-LC–MS/MS-based assay was developed and validated, which uses intervertebral disc and cartilage specific peptides to detect MSM in meat and sausage products. All five marker peptides were assigned to collagen II alpha 1 which makes up a large part of the proteome of intervertebral discs and cartilage. In order to evaluate the validity of the methodology, a total of 23 positive controls (MSM content 5–90%) and a total of 19 negative controls were examined in a blinded study. After unblinding, 22 of 23 positive controls were correctly classified. Only one self-produced sample with 5% MSM was declared as a negative case (overall sensitivity 96%). In contrast, all negative controls were correctly classified as negative (specificity 100%). In summary, the LC–MS/MS assay allowed the specific detection of MSM in real samples with unknown composition down to 10% MSM in the meat content. Graphical abstract