Specific serological identification of ostrich meat and meat products

Abstract

Using aqueous urea solution extracts of heated ostrich muscle as antigen for the production of precipitating rabbit anti· ostrich sera, it was possible to specifically identify raw, heated (70-95°C) and air dried-salted ostrich meat by means of gel immunodiffusion tests. The sera did not react with chicken, turkey or horse meat or with beef in any form. The soluble proteins extracted from ostrich meat heated to temperatures of 70°C for 30 minutes appear to constitute at least two closely related antigenic determinants of which only one is thermostable at temperatures above 70°C.