title: Halal authenticity of gelatin using species-specific PCR.
abstract: Consumption of food products derived from porcine sources is strictly prohibited in Islam. Gelatin, mostly derived from bovine and porcine sources, has many applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. To ensure that food products comply with halal regulations, development of valid and reliable analytical methods is very much required. In this study, a species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using conserved regions of mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b gene) was performed to evaluate the halal authenticity of gelatin. After isolation of DNA from gelatin powders with known origin, conventional PCR using species-specific primers was carried out on the extracted DNA. The amplified expected PCR products of 212 and 271 bp were observed for porcine and bovine gelatin, respectively. The sensitivity of the method was tested on binary gelatin mixtures containing 0.1%, 1%, 10%, and 100% (w/w) of porcine gelatin within bovine gelatin and vice versa. Although most of the DNA is degraded due to the severe processing steps of gelatin production, the minimum level of 0.1% w/w of both porcine and bovine gelatin was detected. Moreover, eight food products labeled as containing bovine gelatin and eight capsule shells were subjected to PCR examination. The results showed that all samples contained bovine gelatin, and the absence of porcine gelatin was verified. This method of species authenticity is very useful to verify whether gelatin and gelatin-containing food products are derived from halal ingredients.
authors: Parsian Bio Tech Laboratory, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hessam
authors: H
authors: Shabani
authors: Food & Drug Control Reference Laboratories Center, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mehrangiz
authors: M
authors: Mehdizadeh
authors: Food & Drug Control Reference Laboratories Center, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: mousavi634@yahoo.com.
authors: Seyed Mohammad
authors: SM
authors: Mousavi
authors: Dana Gene Pajouh Laboratory, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Ehsan Ansari
authors: EA
authors: Dezfouli
authors: Parsian Bio Tech Laboratory, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Tara
authors: T
authors: Solgi
authors: Dana Gene Pajouh Laboratory, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mahdi
authors: M
authors: Khodaverdi
authors: Food & Drug Control Reference Laboratories Center, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Rabiei
authors: Food & Drug Control Reference Laboratories Center, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Rastegar
authors: Food & Drug Control Reference Laboratories Center, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mahmoud
authors: M
authors: Alebouyeh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005780:Gelatin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D005780:Gelatin
keywords: Bovine; Chloroform (PubChem CID: 6212); Conventional PCR; Deionized water (PubChem CID: 962); Food and pharmaceutical products; Gelatin; Halal authenticity; Magnesium dichloride (PubChem CID: 24584); Porcine; Species-specific primers