Five of these samples (M1-M5) were prepared by mixing PCR products from single authentic species, and five were prepared by mixing tissue from species (M6-M10). This was done to determine whether all species contained within mixes prior to PCR amplification could still be determined. RFLP profiles from the mixed samples were visually examined,
with the sizes of each band present in each sample recorded for all seven enzymes. Profiles from reference
species were then compared to the profiles generated from the mixed samples to identify which reference
species were present. All samples were correctly identified,with the profiles following digestion with the enzyme HinfI shown in Figure 2. Some samples were more difficult to identify than others due to the complexity of the banding profiles generated (sample M9,
Figure 2). However, by comparing the RFLP profiles
generated from mixed samples with those from the 36
authentic species, by the process of elimination, even
sample M9, which contained three fish species, was
correctly identified.