Different TaqMan^TM-polymerase chain reaction systems have been developed, which allow the detection of even minute amounts of beef, pork, lamb, goat, chicken, turkey and duck in processed foods. The species-specific systems are able to amplify DNA regions with no more than 108 bp in size (exception: duck, 212 bp) located on the single-copy genes cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cyclic GMP) phosphodiesterase, ryanodine receptor and interleukin-2 precursor. The parallel detection of the common ingredient 'meat' produced from mammals and poultry was based on the amplification of a region of the myostatin gene. The limit of detection was determined to be ten genome copies for each system. The relative SD under repeatability condition was below 30%. In addition, a 'ready-to-use' reaction plate has been developed, which makes it possible to investigate the presence of the seven animal species in parallel after a single real-time run.