Rapid detection of oilfish and escolar in fish steaks: A tool to prevent keriorrhea episodes

Ka Ho Ling; Chun Wai Cheung; Sau Wan Cheng; Ling Cheng; Song-Lin Li; Peter D Nichols; Robert D Ward; Alastair Graham; Paul Pui-Hay But

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.066

Rapid detection of oilfish and escolar in fish steaks: A tool to prevent keriorrhea episodes

Food Chem. 2008 Sep 15;110(2):538-46. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.066. Epub 2008 Feb 29.

Authors

Ka Ho Ling¹, Chun Wai Cheung¹, Sau Wan Cheng², Ling Cheng¹, Song-Lin Li², Peter D Nichols³, Robert D Ward³, Alastair Graham³, Paul Pui-Hay But⁴

Affiliations

¹ Food and Drug Authentication Laboratory, Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, PR China.
² Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, PR China.
³ CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research and Food Futures Flagship, G.P.O. Box 1538, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
⁴ Food and Drug Authentication Laboratory, Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, PR China; Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, PR China. Electronic address: paulbut@cuhk.edu.hk.

PMID: 26049250
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.066

Abstract

The outbreak of keriorrhea caused by the wax ester-rich oilfish and escolar has become a frequent and worldwide concern. To help prevent such episodes, rapid detection of these fishes in the supply chain of the seafood industry and by food and health inspection agencies is essential. Through a combination of DNA, GC-MS and TLC analyses with reference to authentic samples, fish steaks of oilfish and escolar mislabeled as other species could be accurately identified. The TLC method developed is inexpensive and provides a reliable and importantly rapid identification within 30min.

Keywords: Diarrhea; Escolar; Forensics; Keriorrhea; Oilfish; Wax ester.