The Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories has developed a portable kit which can determine if a meat sample contains beef or not. The ‘Cow Meat Detection ELISA Kit’ can provide results within half-an-hour, K.Y. Kulkarni, director, FSL, said.
The development comes amid controversies surrounding the ban on sale and consumption of beef after the BJP-led government in the State brought in the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, which bans the slaughter of bulls as well.
“With this kit, officials would be able to examine meat samples on the spot. We have been working on the kit for the last few months with a Hyderabad-based scientist. All 45 mobile FSL vans in the State will have this kit soon,” Mr. Kulkarni said.
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The kit will help police secure more convictions in cases of beef possession or transportation, he said. If the meat sample fed into the kit is beef, the sample turns yellow, and will be sent for further confirmation to the FSL, he said. Each portable kit is expected to cost around Rs 8,000.
As the kit will help determine if the sample contains beef or not on the spot, police need not make arrests or seizures on mere suspicion, Mr. Kulkarni said.