Food Quality Assurance: A Novel Seafood Freshness Assay

Presenters: Wendy Goodrich, Applications Scientist, BioTek Instruments; Larissa Balakireva, PhD, President & Chief Scientific Officer, NovoCIB

Automation and Challenge Testing of a Novel Freshness Assay Measuring Inosine Monophosphate (IMP), Inosine (Ino), and Hypoxanthine (Hx) as a % Ratio in Animal Muscle Tissue

Based on detection of products formed during the post-mortem degradation pathway of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a novel mix and read assay has been developed for determining freshness in animal tissue. Inosine monophosphate (IMP), inosine (Ino), and hypoxanthine (Hx) are extracted from sample tissue and then converted to NADH using proprietary enzyme reagents. Expressed as a percent ratio value, calculation of relative content of the nucleotides is enabled by detection of NADH at 340 mm. Automated and non-automated performance parameters of the assay that could contribute to workflow or throughput enhancements in freshness testing were comparatively assessed, including instrument parameters and sample preparation options. Data including precision, accuracy, linearity, inter- and intra-assay repeatability where applicable are presented. Assay challenge testing was undertaken using multiple sample matrices and experimental conditions applying the automation and sample prep methods developed. Results suggest that this reliable, rapid, easy-to-use assay could be efficacious in a number of applications that would benefit from non-sensory quantification of fish or meat freshness, such as in quality assurance systems common to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) or HACCP environments typical of the food industry.