Led by Professor Ellen Billett, the UK-based university has developed novel tests capable of identifying adulterated meat products through the presence of specific proteins.
Professor Billett’s team will provide advice and guidance to industry on how to identify proteins of relevance to food authenticity.
Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) is coordinating the network set up by DEFRA.
It ensures the UK has access to laboratories capable of testing food on behalf of retailers and suppliers and giving consumers confidence in what they buy.
Professor Billett, head of food authenticity in Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology, said: “The prevention of food adulteration is extremely important to consumers and the industry for economic, health, food safety, and cultural reasons.”
Nottingham Trent University has worked in antibody production, immunoassay development and optimisation and use of mass spectrometry for the analysis and identification of proteins.
It has experience of analytical methods for proteins including 1D- and 2D-gel electrophoresis, immunoassays (including ELISAs, dot blotting & Western blotting) and mass spectrometry for protein identification.