They also discovered human DNA in two percent of the samples. The study comes from Clear Labsa food analytics startup based in Menlo Park, CA which used "genomic technology" to investigate hot dogs on a molecular level. Occasionally human workers are involved in the process, but theyre wearing so much protective gear youd think they were handling plutonium. That's right, human DNA. 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The researchers found human DNA in two percent of samples, and 2/3 of those products containing human DNA were vegetarian products. October 25, 2015 / 10:20 AM Wake up to the day's most important news. After the WHO went public with their findings on the effects of red meat and cancer, there's more troubling news from the meat industry. After analyzing hot dogs from 75 different brands, Clear Foods discovered human DNA in 2% of the samples studied. Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National received the top scores for quality hot dogs among major brands. "What we do know is that any product collected in the marketplace was inspected and passed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Clear Food also found other problems with the hot dogs, including mislabeled ingredients, which could raise concern among religious and vegetarian groups. What Are These Tiny Red Spots on My Skin (Petechiae)? Horton, H., Human DNA found in hot dogs and 10% of vegetarian sausages contain meat, The Telegraph web site, October 27, 2015; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11956947/human-DNA-found-in-hot-dogs-vegetarian-sausages-contain-meat.html. According to a study from Clear Labs, an independent food analytics startup, 10 percent of vegetarian hot dog products contain meat. As in, homo sapiens. Clear Food, a subsidiary of food analyzation startup Clear Labs, collected 345 samples of hot dogs and sausages the traditional kind and the veggie variety from 75 different brands at 10 different retailers and found that 14.4% of them were problematic. The samples were considered as such if they contained ingredient substitutions or additions or hygienic issues. It happens. Sign Up for the Latest Health News and Tips, Home - Most Popular News Human DNA Found in Hot Dogs. Initial attempts by USA TODAY Network to reach out to the company independently have proved unsuccessful. There were also issues with the nutritional content listed . All of the latest health news that actually matters. Theyre still, as with most things in life, best in moderation. Department Illegally Seizes Privately Owned Bees Resistant to GMO Poison, Breakdown of GMO Labeling Laws in Each Country (Global Map), What Theyre Not Telling You About Monsantos Role in Ukraine, Toxic Weedkiller Dicamba Drift Damages Crops Across America. So NR seems to have a more efficient path to NAD+ generation. Biden was treated for basal cell carcinoma. It would appear that modern hot dogs are made almost entirely by scary-looking machines. But pig anus may seem like a more appetizing option when compared with the latest hot dog accusation. Clear Foods also analyzed vegetarian hot dogs and sausages. is that the scientists found no correlation between price and quality. The DNA found in the samples likely came from "hair, skin, finger nail or saliva that was accidentally mixed in during the manufacturing process," according to Clear Food. If you're a hot dog lover, you may have beef with a study that finds certain varieties of hot dogs contain human DNA. Here's another analysis that will either put everything in perspective or send you into a spiral of food paranoia. Around 3% of hot dogs and sausages analyzed contained pork where it wasn't listed, ten percent of vegetarian dogs included animal DNA, and most shocking of all 2% of samples contained. The genomic analysis involved 345 different hot dog or sausage products from 75 brands, purchased at 10 different retailers in the US. "DNA is not a food safety hazard," says Jonathan A. Campbell, Ph.D., a Meat Specialist and Assistant Professor at Penn State University. Hot dogs have never been seen as prime cuts of meat, but a new study has found human DNA in some samples. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans spent $2.4 billion last year on hot dogs and another $2.74 billion on sausages. How is anything from the bodies of a hotdog worker getting into the mix? Did you buy every apple or orange or potato or avocado that you groped or squeezed to make sure it was fresh? NR, on the other hand, can make its way into the cell on its own. For non-meat eaters the results are particularly eye-opening: 10 percent of the vegetarian products tested contained meat (chicken in the veggie breakfast sausages and pork in the veggie hot dogs), and four of the 21 vegetarian samples had "hygienic issues." So what does this mean to you? Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***. Researchers for Clear Labs, a company that sets standards for food quality, looked at 345 samples of hot dogs and sausages from 75 brands and 10 retailers, assigning each brand a score up to 100 for the highest quality products. Do a google search on the topic and you might end up believing that hot dogs contain everything short of snips and snails and puppy dogs tails. Well, as you hopefully already knew, hot dogs aren't something you should be eating at every meal. The study, conducted by food analytics lab Clear Food, analyzed 345 different hot dogs and sausages, including vegetarian versions. A food with a substitution issue has an unexpected ingredient that is not listed on the label. Clear Food analyzed 345 hot dogs and sausages from 75 different brands sold at 10retailers and found that 14% had hygienic or substitution issues, according to thereport. Additionally, 10% of vegetarian hot dogs sold today contain traces of meat. "The U.S. does not allow blood," he says. DNA was in two per cent of all samples, predominantly in veggie products. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Human DNA Found in a Small Sample of Hot Dogs and Sausages by Julie Fidler Posted on October 28, 2015 Updated on October 24, 2021 General Health The next time you squeeze some ketchup onto a ballpark frank at a baseball game, you should know you could be eating porkor you could be eating someone's eyebrows or spit. That human DNA the Fresh Lab scientists found on the hotdogs they tested? Andrew L. Milkowski, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, says he's "suspicious about the quality of (Clear Lab's) information. Or shopping at grocery stores, or buying food that at any point in its production was touched by human hands. In most cases, a lot of humans are employed in the meat industry, and their DNA is throughout the building., Related: The 10 Dirtiest Foods You're Eating, Even if they never actually touch the hot dogs, they are touching the processing equipment, to clean and sanitize it. A study of both meat and vegetarian hot dogs showed that they contain unadvertised ingredients - including human DNA. A new study has just revealed that hot dogs might, if research is to be believed, have a little human DNA in it. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates that in this country alone, we consume around 20 billion hot dogs annuallyor 70 hot dogs per person every year. With all of the green vegetable options out there, here are a few reasons, Need an easy, inexpensive and dare I say FUN way to drink more water? America's 120-year-old love affair with hot dogs extends from ballparks to backyards to the White House. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates that in this country alone, we consume around 20 billion hot dogs annuallyor 70 hot dogs per person every year. / CBS News. While some of these substitutions, hygienic issues, other variances, or off-label ingredients may be permitted by the FDA, our scientific disclosure allows you, as the consumer, to decide whether the variance or problems meet your personal standard in your buying decision, Clear Food says in their study. Clear Foods is a company that translates quantifiable molecular tests into actionable food data insights, according to its website. The study also concludes that 10 percent of veggie dog brands tested contained meat. Probably not, right? Yes, two percent of hot dogs and sausages out there contain human DNA, as a new study recently found.. Part of HuffPost News. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Report has startling revelations for contents of hot dogs. If you crunched the numbers, it was admittedly alarming. (Substitution meanswhen ingredients are added to the productthat are not displayed on the label and hygienic issues happen when a "non-harmful contaminant is introduced to the hot dog."). Vegetarian hot dogs were also found to contain traces of meat, suggesting that they may not be as meat-free as advertised. Do you really know whats in your food? Hope you enjoyed your lunch, Hannibal Lecter. Maybe Not, Study Shows, A Broccoli Anti-Aging Enzyme may Hold the Fountain of Youth, Illinois Ag. Human DNA in samples "is a sign of lots of touching with human hands," she told ABC News. A new report, however, adds extra meaning to the phrase "you don't want to know how the sausage gets made.". Clear Food, an independent company that analyzes food at the molecular level, found that 14.4 percent of the hot dogs it tested were "problematic.". "Imagine how many apples could test positive after being handled by half the people shopping in the grocery store," he says. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. about When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip: Healthy Dips For Super Bowl Weekend, about Move Over Oranges! That's right, human DNA. Is It Safe to Use Expired Protein Powder? "Yes, humans work at meat processing establishments," he says. BDO is the worlds largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. Clear Food says its testing found human DNA in 2 percent of all hot dog samples. In particular, two percent of the hot dog samples contained human DNA. First of all, lets all take a deep breath. While researchers from Clear Food state that human DNA is unlikely to pose any health threats, they believe the information should be made available to the public and that people should be able to decide for themselves whether they are comfortable eating hot dogs given these findings. Schulte, B., Harvard neuroscientist: Meditation not only reduces stress, heres how it changes your brain, The Washington Post web site, May 26, 2015; https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/05/26/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-not-only-reduces-stress-it-literally-changes-your-brain/. "DNA testing produces no end of surprises but I seriously doubt that parts of human remains are incorporated into even the cheapest sausages. Or lips. ", (As of this writing, reps at Clear Lab have not responded to requests for comment.). standards and labeling requirements are restrictive, says Milkowski. .css-1pm21f6{display:block;font-family:AvantGarde,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1pm21f6:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1pm21f6{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1pm21f6{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1pm21f6{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3;}}The Absolute Best Crackers for Healthy Snacking, 18 Healthy Snacks That Actually Keep You Full, 15 Surprising Health Benefits of Chia Seeds, Tasty High-Protein Snacks to Keep You Fueled, The 15 Best Protein Powders for Smoothie Making, The Healthiest Fast Food Menu Items at Chains, 37 Calcium-Rich Foods That Aren't a Glass of Milk. Remember the last time you were in the produce section of a grocery store? Do a google search on the topic and you might end up believing that hot dogs contain everything short of snips and snails and puppy dogs' tails. Hot Dogs and Processed Meats as Bad as Cigarettes? Does anyone leave a hotdog plant without taking a Silkwood shower? Clear Labs, a nonprofit group that analyzes food at the molecular level, looked at 345 hot dog and sausage samples marketed under 75 different brands and sold at 10 different retailers. It also found human DNA in 2 percent of its hot dog samples and two-thirds of the vegetarian samples. Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of, Kale is the newest craze in the health world. Samples showed chicken, beef, turkey and lamb were found in products that were not supposed to have those ingredients. The lab analyzes a product's label and how closely that matches its actual molecular contents, as well as nutrition-content accuracy, such as carbs, fat, calories and protein. The Clear Labs hot dog study found human DNA samples in 2 percent of the 345 hot dogs and sausages. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. For the record, no, hot dogs dont contain anus. That could very well leave skin cells or other DNA sources on equipment, Campbell says. Major brands including Butterball, Boar's Head, Hebrew National, Oscar Meyer, Jennie O and Trader Joe's all received high marks. And for most of the Internet, it was enough reason to go into full-on panic mode. Credit: Marek Janta. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans spent $2.4 billion last year on hot dogs and another $2.74 billion on sausages.