Screening method for the addition of bovine blood-based binding agents to food using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.
We report the development of a qualitative method to detect the addition of blood-based binding agents to food products. The method is based on the detection of species-specific marker peptides, fibrinopeptides, released from the blood protein fibrinogen during gelling of the blood protein by thrombin. The fibrinopeptides were isolated from foods spiked with commercial bovine binding agent by acid precipitation followed by enrichment using solid-phase extraction and analysed by liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Fibrinopeptide A was found to be an effective marker in fresh, processed and cooked food matrices spiked with 5% (v/w) bovine binding agent.
Defra Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK. helen.grundy@csl.gsi.gov.uk
Helen H
HH
Grundy
Paul
P
Reece
Mark D
MD
Sykes
Julie A
JA
Clough
Neil
N
Audsley
Robert
R
Stones
D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D005399:Fishes; D005503:Food Additives / Q000032:analysis*; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine
D005503:Food Additives; D005340:Fibrinogen