Details
Project title: Development of a diagnostic aid for detecting fraudulently administered estrogens in bovine serum and meat.
Acronym: CanEstro
Type: Project
Annuality: First
TP/LS membership: CMDI/HMNA 1
Lead partner: Trustech S.r.l.
Partner: Microla Optoelectronics, Techfab (replaced by Olivetti i-Jet), Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and the Aosta Valley, Anti-Doping Center, Polytechnic University of Turin
Status: Completed
THE PROBLEM ADDRESSED
Given the potential carcinogenic activity of residues in food, widespread illicit feeding in livestock production can pose serious health risks to consumers. Currently, an annual sampling plan is implemented on animal farms and first animal processing products to monitor it. However, the rapid bio-transformation of these substances is not detected by current instruments.
THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT
CanEstro has developed and validated a more sensitive and more effective method of analysis for detecting and quantifying in herds more illicit substances administered. Indeed, a solution has been found to identify illicit estrogen molecules (17-beta estradiol), whose residues are potentially carcinogenic, that are injected into animals, but due to their fast transformation could not be identified until now.
PROJECT RESULTS
CanEstro helps prevent cancers caused by illicit substances injected into animals that remain in foods consumed daily by people. Thanks to innovative techniques developed by the project, it will now be possible to identify substances in beef that are hazardous to consumers’ health.
