12.10 Meat Analysis 609proved to be valuable when the electrophero-
grams of the protein extracts reveal protein zones
or bands specific for the protein source. Thus,
in meat analysis, such a method allows for the
differentiation between more than 40 animal
species, e. g., beef, pork, horse, buffalo, sheep,
game, and poultry (cf. Fig. 12.38).
To carry out an analyis, the sarcoplasm proteins
are extracted with water. The electrophoretic
separation is predominantly conducted on poly-
acrylamide gels, previously also on starch and
agarose gels. The application of a pH gradient
(isoelectric focusing) provides excellent protein
patterns. The first assignment is achieved directly
after the electrophoretic separation on the basis
of two red myoglobin zones (Fig. 12.38a). The
ratio of the intensities of these zones, which
Fig. 12.38.Separation of sarcoplasm proteins of various warm blooded animals (mammals and fowl) by iso-
electric focusing on polyacrylamide gels (PAGIF, PAGplate, pH range 3.5–9.5). (according toKaiser, 1988).
aMyoglobin (and hemoglobin) zones without staining;bMyoglobin and hemoglobin zones after treatment with
o-dianisidine/H 2 O 2 ;cProtein zones after staining with coomassie brilliant blue
represent met- and oxymyoglobin, changes with
the storage time of the meat or extract and is
not important for evaluation. The myoglobin
and hemoglobin zones can be intensified by
treatment with o-dianisidine/H 2 O 2 (Fig. 12.38b)
and subsequent staining with coomassie brilliant
blue makes all the proteins visible (12.38 c).
Some animal species can be recognized via
the myoglobin bands (e. g., beef, buffalo, pork,
horse, red and grey kangaroo) and others are
assigned to groups. The identification is achieved
with electropherograms stained with coomassie
blue (Fig. 12.39). A differentiation within the
families Cervidae (deer) and Bovidae (horned
animals) is difficult, with the exception of the
subfamily Bovinae (cattle), e. g., between roe
deer, fallow buck, elk, reindeer, kudu, springbok,