Development of Boar Taint Detection Kits using DNA Aptamers for Use in Commercial Packing Plants

Boar taint is an offensive odour in meat from non-castrated male pigs caused by specific chemical compounds present in the fat tissue. Most consumers can detect this offensive odour during the cooking/consumption of pork. Thus, producers and packers need to know about the presence of boar taint in pig tissues to detect tainted meat before it reaches consumers, as well as for research purposes, so that they can better understand boar taint and methods to reduce it can be developed. There is an urgent need for low-cost, simple tools to detect boar taint. In this project, in collaboration with Ontario Pork and the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI), our intern will explore whether a simple dipstick test can be prepared, optimized, and validated for the detection of boar taint in pork. Ontario Pork and the CCSI will benefit from this research, as a quick and inexpensive way to ensure pork is free of taint would allow producers to lower costs while not jeopardizing Ontario’s excellent reputation for pork product quality.

Faculty Supervisor:

Maria DeRosa

Student:

Partner:

Ontario Pork;Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

Carleton University

Program: