June 18, 2007

Transgenomic and CFIA collaborate in detecting banned materials in animal feeds

American biotech firm Transgenomic Inc has entered into a collaborative research with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to develop new molecular methods for detecting banned materials in animal feeds.

The project is focused on the development of novel molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays to identify animal materials that have been banned from cattle feed. The process will also serve as an additional means to verify the effective enforcement of Canada's feed controls. Following development and performance evaluation, such testing methods could be considered for implementation in feed inspection programs.

Banned ingredients in cattle feed include certain protein-based materials, such as meat and bone meal originating from mammals other than pigs and horses. An effective feed ban diagnostic tool requires the ability to detect certain materials from prohibited species such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer and elk. Current microscopic methods of analysis are time-consuming, labour-intensive, and incapable of identifying the animal species origin of tissue components.