A comparison of bovine and porcine species in foods containing animal gelatin with RT-PCR and Q-Exactive ORBITRAP device

In this research, the performances of Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Q-Exactive Orbitrap (Orbitrap MS) techniques were compared. The performance of both methods in identifying bovine and porcine gelatin components in sample categories such as chocolate, candy, biscuits, food supplements, jelly beans, etc. was considered. Results showed that Orbitrap MS achieved a high detection rate of 98.75% (100% for beef and 97.5% for pork), particularly in complex matrices. In contrast, RT-PCR showed acceptable performance only in simpler food matrices, with clear limitations in detecting degraded DNA in processed products. Overall, the results confirm the notion that Orbitrap molecular techniques should be preferred where precision and reliability are of utmost importance, such as regulatory compliance, especially halal certification.