Analysis of products of animal origin in feeds by determination of carnosine and related dipeptides by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Products of animal origin such as meat meal were commonly used as sources of protein and amino acids for the production of compound feeds. Because the feeding of such products is prohibited in Germany, the official feedstuff control of the government must evaluate feeds for the forbidden use of products of animal origin. Microscope examination is the official method to prove animal-originated adulterations of feeds. This paper proposes a high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of the dipeptide carnosine and related dipeptides (anserine and balenine) and shows the dependence of the contents of anserine, balenine, and carnosine in compound feeds on the content of meat meal in feeds. The presented method can complete and confirm the result of the microscopic method for evidence of components of animal origin in feeds.