Species identification of poultry egg products

Ministry of the Flemish Community, Centre of Agricultural Research, Department of Animal Product Quality, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium. L.Herman@clo.fgov.be

Species-specific primers for duck were deduced from the mitochondrial ATPase8 gene sequence. Species-specific PCR for turkeys and ducks showed no cross reaction with mixtures from chicken and guinea eggs and detection was possible to a concentration of 0.1% of homogenized duck egg and 5% of homogenized turkey egg when a PCR of 35 cycles was applied. A PCR of 30 cycles detected 10% of homogenized duck egg. The same sensitivities were obtained in dilutions of homogenized egg yolk; however, no PCR signals were obtained in egg white. Analysis of 13 industrial egg product samples showed the practical relevance of the species-specific PCR tests described herein.