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Structural characterisation of some fatty acids from the brain as biomarkers of BSE risk material

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Abstract

Identification of bovine and ovine tissue from the central nervous system (CNS: brain and spinal cord) in meat products is possible by using certain CNS fatty acids as biomarkers in GC–MS analysis. Furthermore, the relationship between the isomers of the tetracosenic acid (C24:1) is important for differentiation of the species and age of the CNS in view of the legal definition of specified risk material (SRM). This has so far been referred to as the “cis/trans ratio of the isomers of nervonic acid”; however, structural analysis was not performed. Here we present results from GC–MS structural analysis by retention time and DMDS adduct profiling of the even numbered monoenoic fatty acids from C18:1 to C26:1. Retention times and mass spectra of the FAME standards indicated that the so far designated trans-nervonic acid has a different isomeric structure in the tetracosenic acid from brain-sample extracts. By performing GC–MS analysis of DMDS adducts we have shown that this isomer was actually cis-17-tetracosenic acid in all species so far tested, not trans-15-tetracosenic acid (trans-nervonic acid). The tetracosenic acid isomer ratio proved to be species-specific in accordance with previous results. Thus, instead of the ratio of cis/trans isomers of nervonic acid, the ratio of ω9/ω7-tetracosenic acid (15c-C24:1/17c-C24:1) will have to be used as a correct reference in future publications. Although trans isomers were not detectable in sheep and cattle brain, porcine brain contained, in addition to cis-17-tetracosenic acid, small amounts of the trans isomers of the C18:1, C20:1, C24:1, and C26:1 fatty acids, in decreasing quantities. In future, this might be useful as another means of differentiation between porcine CNS (non-SRM) and ovine or bovine CNS (SRM). Extensive follow-up studies must be performed to elucidate the extent to which this GC–MS approach will facilitate the detection of CNS according to the legal SRM definition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Tierhygiene und Öffentliches Veterinärwesen, Universität Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Wolfgang Biedermann, Sandra Lachhab & Uwe Truyen

  2. Institut für Lebensmittelhygiene, Universität Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Ernst Lücker

  3. Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig/Halle, Permoserstraße 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany

    Jürgen Pörschmann

  4. Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Thielallee 88-92, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Andreas Hensel

Authors
  1. Wolfgang Biedermann
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  2. Ernst Lücker
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  3. Jürgen Pörschmann
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  4. Sandra Lachhab
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  5. Uwe Truyen
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  6. Andreas Hensel
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Correspondence to Ernst Lücker.

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Biedermann, W., Lücker, E., Pörschmann, J. et al. Structural characterisation of some fatty acids from the brain as biomarkers of BSE risk material. Anal Bioanal Chem 379, 1031–1038 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-004-2679-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-004-2679-x

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