Can LC-MS/MS Be Used in Horse Meat Detection?

A rapid, robust, sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS assay has been developed for the simultaneous detection of horse meat at low % levels in beef and the banned substance phenylbutazone (BUTE) using peptides markers for horse proteins and specific MRM transitions for BUTE. The LC-MS/MS-based method presented offers a more accurate and reliable approach to meat speciation than PCR- or ELISA-based techniques or other indirect methods, and also allows for the detection of veterinary drug residues in the same analysis, which is not possible by ELISA or PCR.