Under The Bun: An Analysis of Meat and Meat Alternative Integrity in Vancouver Restaurants

Abstract

Meat product mislabeling and meat contamination of plant-based meats can significantly impact consumer trust, public health, and market integrity, underscoring the necessity for accurate meat labeling. This study aims to assess the authenticity of beef and plant-based burger patties from various fast-food chains through the analysis of DNA. Following DNA isolation, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed to identify six different types of meat: cow, pig, chicken, sheep, goat and horse. Subsequent gel electrophoresis was performed to identify specific targeted DNA segments. However, gel electrophoresis yielded only a single band among all 17 samples, indicating possible chicken cross-contamination. PCR failure may be attributed to altered DNA base pairs from the heat of cooking, which suggests analyzing raw meat in future studies may yield more accurate assessments.