Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Measuring or testing process involving enzymes or... – Involving antigen-antibody binding – specific binding protein...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-10-30
Scheiner, Laurie (Department: 1641)
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Measuring or testing process involving enzymes or...
Involving antigen-antibody binding, specific binding protein...
C040S300000, C424S009810, C426S652000, C436S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309845
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method and a use for identifying the origin of useful animals, in particular of cattle, pigs and the like, and of products derived therefrom.
The prior art describes providing useful animals such as cattle and pigs with an identification which identifies the origin, and this identification is borne as an imprint on a tag attached to the ear of the useful animal (tattooing, transponders and other systems). Prior to slaughtering, the useful animals are combined in groups, depending on their origin. The carcasses are then provided with a group-specific stamp. In recent years, it has become an established practice to additionally provide accompanying documents with each useful animal so as to increase the reliability of the identification of origin.
However, the prior-art identifications of origin are disadvantageous in many ways. For example, it is common practice that import restrictions or bans are circumvented by exchanging or forging the tags and also forging the corresponding accompanying documents. The making out of accompanying documents involves a great deal of bureaucracy.
The prior-art identification of origin is insufficient in particular for the reliable containing of illegal trading, for example in beef which may be contaminated with BSE pathogen or its use for making meat products such as dog food and the like.
The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, it is intended to provide a forgery-proof identification with which not only the origin of the live useful animal, but also products derived therefrom, such as meat, meat products and foodstuffs of animal origin, can be identified in a reliable fashion.
This object is achieved by the features of claims
1
and
14
. Advantageous embodiments can be seen from the features of claims
2
to
13
and
15
to
23
.
To achieve the object, a method is provided which comprises the following steps:
a) biological tagging of the live useful animal by applying at least one immunogen which is harmless to the useful animal and humans, and
b) detection, in the live useful animal or in products derived therefrom of the specific antibodies formed by applying at least one immunogen, using an enzyme-immunological or immunochemical detection method.
The advantage of the method according to the invention is that the biological tag cannot be separated from the useful animal and therefore not exchanged or forged. Moreover, it is possible to identify the origin of meat without stamp of origin, even of meat used for making meat products.
The immunogen(s) used is/are preferably a protein and/or peptide which, in normal livestock management, reaches the organism of the useful animal neither as vaccine nor via the food chain nor via the environment, and against which no antibodies are formed naturally in the useful animals. A protein and/or peptide coupled to a matrix is expediently used.—This simple procedure results in a specific tag which is readily detectable and fully acceptable for human consumption.
According to one embodiment, the immunogen is such that the specific antibodies formed remain permanently in the organism of the useful animal and can be detected by means of an enzyme-immunological or immunochemical detection method.—In this manner, tagging can be effected in a single application, expediently immediately after the useful animal has been born. Application can be effected by applying the immunogen to the useful animal by means of an injection. Also, the immunogen may also be applied via the mucous membrane, preferably the nasal mucosa, of the useful animal, for example using a nasal spray, or by means of an implant.
It is advantageous to apply a mixture of several different immunogens. A first immunogen can be used for identifying the region of origin, such as Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America and the like, a second immunogen for identifying the country of origin, and a third immunogen for identifying administrative units of the country in question. Individual production and distribution organizations (for example producer groups, quality meat programs) may use biological tagging of the livestock or products derived therefrom, either as an alternative or by way of supplementation. Materials on which the antibodies can be detected are, in the case of the live useful animal, the blood, the milk or other body secretions, and in the case of the slaughtered animal also blood and body secretions, such as meat juices released naturally or by expressing.
To identify the antibodies, it is preferred to use one or more of the following detection methods as enzyme-immunological or immunochemical detection method: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (=ELISA), enzyme immunoassay (=EIA) and radioimmunoassay (=RIA). The enzyme-immunological or immunochemical detection is particularly simple if it is carried out using test sticks.—If the tagging operation is restricted to official veterinarians, the origin of products obtained from, for example, slaughtered useful animals can be checked and established by virtually anybody.
The invention also provides the use of at least one
a) immunogen which is harmless to useful animals and humans, for the biological tagging of the live useful animal and of products derived therefrom, and of
b) an enzyme-immunological or immunochemical detection method for detecting, in the live useful animal or in products derived therefrom, the specific antibodies formed by applying the at least one immunogen.
The immunogen can be a protein and/or peptide or a mixture of these which, in normal livestock management, reaches the organism of the useful animal neither as vaccine nor as medicament nor via the food chain and against which no antibodies are formed naturally in the useful animals; the protein and/or peptide may be coupled to a matrix.—The use of an immunogen which is foreign, but harmless, to the organism to be tagged, for biological tagging, allows a surprisingly simple, inexpensive and forgeproof identification of origin.
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Gareis Manfred
Groschup Martin
Foley Shanon A.
Pearne & Gordon LLP
Scheiner Laurie
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