PROF. GATHUMA JOSEPH MWANGI - RETIRED
B.V.Sc., MSc. (UoN), Graduate Courses (Ph.D. coursework) (University of California,
+254-722-756363 or +254-735-445938, jmgathuma@uonbi.ac.ke
+254-722-756363 or +254-735-445938, jmgathuma@uonbi.ac.ke
Antisera to thermosable muscle antigens (TMA) from 14 species of bovidae were raised in goats and/or sheep. To achieve species specificity the antisera were absorbed with serum from the other species. While the absorbed antisera to TMA to buffalo, impala, eland, waterbuck, wildebeest and oryx were rendered specific, the antiserum to cattle TMA cross-reacted with buffalo fresh meat antigens (FMA) and cooked meat antigens (CMA) but not with buffalo thermostable muscle antigens. Fresh and cooked muscle antigens from these two species could be differentiated by the antiserum to buffalo TMA. A similar approach was used to differentiate the FMA, CMA and TMA of kongoni, topi and wildebeest. Antiserum to cattle TMA proved useful in detecting the presence of beef meat in meat products that had undergone commercial sterilization.
Keywords: meat; meat products; thermostable muscle antitgens; immunodiffusion; antibodies; species identification
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