Neogen Responding to Horse Meat Concerns

LANSING, Mich. - Neogen Corporation has seen a spike in sales of its rapid meat speciation test kits as beef processors respond to the unscrupulous use of horse meat, and other species of meat, in the economic adulteration of beef products, Neogen said.

Neogen offers easy and accurate meat speciation testing options that can be performed on-site, including F.A.S.T. Species Identification Kits. The F.A.S.T. kits are simple screening tests that detect the existence of a different species in uncooked meats and meat products as low as 1 percent. Kits are available for the detection of horse, cow, pig, poultry and sheep.

"Unfortunately, a few unscrupulous people have required the entire meat industry to be concerned about the integreity of their products," said Ed Bradley, vice president of food safety, Neogen. "Preventing the adulteration of meat products with non-desireable or cheaper animal meat is important for economic, regulatory, health and ethical reasons, especially where particular species of meat are prohibited by cultural or religious beliefs."

Neogen’s F.A.S.T. (Food Analyte Screening Test) tests are immunostick assays that can provide clear visual results in about 30 minutes. The company also offers BioKits for Species Identification microwell tests, which provide sensitive, specific qualitative detection for a range of raw and cooked animal species; and DNA-based species identification tests, which use a proprietary magnetic bead technology that provides significant advantages over other methods of DNA extraction.

Visit neogen.com for more information.