Authentication of traditional meat products (Haleem) sold in India: a first report confirming species mislabelling.

Traditional meat products like Haleem play a pivotal role in the culinary landscapes of Indian consumers, along with high economic value and business potential. Due to anticipated gains associated with adulterating 'Haleem' and constant evasion from regulatory oversight, the susceptibility to adulteration has substantially increased. Furthermore, no reports/surveillance regarding their labelling compliance has been reported. Hence, we conducted a 2-year surveillance using 100 samples collected from Hyderabad, India, using the Chipron™ DNA macroarray analysis technique. The method was validated for sensitivity (1%), specificity, and with proficiency test samples. Following this, the surveillance samples (beef, chicken, and mutton Haleem) were tested. The surveillance revealed an alarming adulteration of 46% of the samples, with different proportions of adulterant species. Adulteration of unconventional meat like camel meat was also found. These concerning results necessitate the requirement of stricter and constant regulatory surveillance to safeguard consumer trust and preserve the authenticity of traditional meat products. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-024-05947-9.

SARS-CoV-2 in digital era: Diagnostic techniques and importance of nucleic acid quantification with digital PCRs.

Studies related to clinical diagnosis and research of SARS-CoV-2 are important in the current pandemic era. Although molecular biology has emphasised the importance of qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis with nucleic acids in relation to SARS-CoV-2 needs to be clearly emphasised, which can provide perspective for viral dynamic studies of SARS-CoV-2. In this regard, the requirement and utilization of digital PCR in COVID-19 research has substantially increased during the pandemic, necessitating the aggregation of its cardinal applications and future scopes. Hence, this meta-review comprehensively addresses and emphasises the importance of nucleic acid quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA with digital PCR (dPCR). Various quantitative techniques of clinical significance like immunological, proteomic and nucleic acid-based diagnosis and quantification, have been comparatively discussed. Furthermore, the core part of the article focusses on the working principle and advantages of digital PCR, along with its applications in COVID-19 research. Several important applications like viral load quantitation, environmental surveillance and assay validation have been extensively investigated and discussed. Certain key future scopes of clinical importance, like mortality prediction, viral/variant-symbiosis, and antiviral studies were also identified, suggesting several possible digital PCR applications in COVID-19 research.

Duplex real-time PCR assay with high-resolution melt analysis for the detection and quantification of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes in meat products.

Listeria contamination in foods of animal origin is one of the most concerning food safety issues. A duplex, SYBR green-based, real-time PCR assay was developed with high-resolution melting analysis-based differentiation of the genus Listeria and Listeria monocytogenes. The primers were designed and tested against other related foodborne pathogens. The assay was optimized for standard parameters in a non-orthogonal fashion and validated following international standards. The LODabs and LOQ of the assay were calculated to be 0.78 and 1.56 ng of the target DNA. The LODrel of the assay was found to be 1% Listeria DNA in background DNA. The assay was evaluated for applicability in artificially spiked samples, providing a 120 CFU/ml detection. The assay was validated with proficiency test samples and also with samples collected for surveillance analysis. This well-established and validated assay can be utilized as a qualitative and quantitative tool for addressing the Listeria contamination in the food safety contexts. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05695-2.