Procedures for the detection of unwanted ingredients in meat products with regard to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

A procedure is presented which facillitates the highly specific detection of central nevrous system in meat products. This procedure employs poly- or mono-clonal antibodies against the neuron specific enolase after fat and protein extraction, SDS gel electrophoresis and western blot. This, the addition of central nervous tissue in meat products can be detected with high specificity. So far, contents of bovine brain as low as 0,25% were detected in cooked sausages of the frankfurter and liverwurst type.