Differentiation of buffalo flesh from beef by serological methods

Abstract

Immuno – double – diffusion in agar gel immune – electrophoresis on agarose were concurrently done to differentiate buffalo flesh from beef using unabsorbed antibuffalo serum and the test antigens prepared from 50 samples each of buffalo meat and beef in saline. The tests were repeated with unabsorbed anti beef serum. Both unabsorbed antibuffalo meat serum and anti beef serum reacted similarly with beef and buffalo meat antigens producing identical precipitation bands. Three precipitin arcs each were produced by whole antibuffalo meat and anti beef sera with beef and buffalo meat test antigens in immunoelectrophoresis. When the anti beef and antibuffalo meat sera were absorbed with freeze dried heterologous antigens and tested by agar gel diffusion and by immunoelectrophoresis, both the sera failed to produce any visible reaction with buffalo meat and beef antigens prepared from test samples. Mutton and chevon cross reacted with anti beef and antibuffalo meat sera while pork and dog meat showed no cross – reaction. Among the various antigens used for raising antisera in rabbits meat extract in Freund’s incomplete adjuvant was found to be most potent. A minimum of 11 days was required for the development of appreciable level of antibodies in rabbit serum with buffalo meat antigen in distilled water.The time lapse for the appearance of visible precipitation lines, in gel diffusion tests was five hours with antibuffalo sera against buffalo meat and beef antigens.