Detection of tissues of the central nervous system (CNS) as specified risk material (SRM) in meat products by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Determination of specified risk material (SRM) in processed meat products was performed by quantification of brain specific fatty acids using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results from SMP (internal standardised meat products) based analyses showed that absolute concentrations of CNS are correlated (r2 = > 0.97) with the contents of the CNS typical fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (C 22:6), nervonic acid (C 24:1), lignoceric acid (C 24) and cerebronic acid (C 24oh). GC-MS detection limits were measured at 0.01% CNS. The cut off value was calculated at 0.39% (w/w) CNS in SMP. In a controlled blindfold experiment we were able to identify correctly all positive and negative SMP samples, respectively. Our results indicate that GC-MS based SRM detection may serve as a reference method for immunochemical and immunohistochemical determination of SRM in processed meat products.