Molecular biologists at Clear Labs then extracted the DNA from samples of these products and matched them to the genetic code of different animals. According to "The Hot Dog Report" put out by Clea. NR is a form of vitamin B3. Were pretty sure there arent any hot dog packages that list people as an ingredient, but 2% of the samples contained trace amounts of human DNA, probably from saliva or hair. Clear Food also found other problems with the hot dogs, including mislabeled ingredients, which could raise concern among religious and vegetarian groups. Probably not, right? "That could very well leave skin cells or other DNA sources on equipment," Campbell says. In other words, the ingredients on the package didnt always match what was in the samples. Its not all about, about 10 Foods Thatll Have You Sleeping Like A Baby. The hot dog and sausage report was self-funded, according to Clear Food. Altogether, 75 different hot dog brands from 10 different retailers were studied. Human DNA. Font Size: Clear Food, a subsidiary of food analyzation startup Clear Labs, found that human DNA is present in 2 percent of hot dog and sausage brands, according to a recent study. "Skin is not allowed as it has no muscle tissue and thus does not qualify as a muscle trimming. Actually, such items as feces, maggots and rodent hair in processed foods are allowed by the FDA because food growing and manufacturing processes cannot be totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring defects. While some of these substitutions, hygienic issues, other variances, or off-label ingredients may be permitted by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration], 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 explains. It did not. What Are These Tiny Red Spots on My Skin (Petechiae)? I would imagine if you used the same technology to discover what was on cereal boxes in the grocery store aisle, you might no longer trust what is in other food products as well, Campbell says. In light of the news that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has, Pork substitution was an issue in products across the price spectrum being sold at a wide variety of retailers. As in, homo sapiens. That's right, human DNA. One with a hygienic issue contains non-harmful contaminants, such as human DNA. At least not enough to worry about. Unless you also want to give up eating fruits and vegetables. What percentage of grocery store fruits and vegetables have a little human DNA on them? 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/. The study also found that two thirds of the samples containing human DNA were advertised as vegetarian and almost 15 percent of . 10 Ways to Control Blood Sugar without Medication, Horton, H., Human DNA found in hot dogs and 10% of vegetarian sausages contain meat,, Meers, W., Hot Dogs Contain Human DNA, Veggie Dogs Contain Meat: Study,, Oaklander, M., This Could Cut Your Health Costs by $25,000 a Year, Study Finds,, Schulte, B., Harvard neuroscientist: Meditation not only reduces stress, heres how it changes your brain,, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11956947/human-DNA-found-in-hot-dogs-vegetarian-sausages-contain-meat.html, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hot-dogs-dna-veggie-dogs-meat_562e45abe4b0ec0a38950dc5, http://time.com/4071897/stress-relief-healthcare-costs/, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/05/26/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-not-only-reduces-stress-it-literally-changes-your-brain/. The human DNA found in the dogs is largely the result of hair and broken fingernails. Human DNA. Unless you also want to give up eating fruits and vegetables. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. In other words, yes, your hot dogs are going to have a little human DNA on them. The study, conducted by food analytics lab Clear Food, analyzed 345 different hot dogs and sausages, including vegetarian versions. If you can stomach it, take a look at this video demonstrating how hot dogs are made. Clear Foods, which "uses genomic technology to analyze the world's foods at a molecular level, ingredient by ingredient," released a report recently that it said was designed to look at the accuracy of the content labels of several major hot dog brands. 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. about When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip: Healthy Dips For Super Bowl Weekend, about Move Over Oranges! The company analyzed 345 hot dog and sausage products from 75 brands and 10 retailers, and said they found "human DNA in 2% of the samples, and in 2/3rds of the vegetarian samples.". Sixty-seven percent of hygienic problems found in the report were from vegetarian products. Samples showed chicken, beef, turkey and lamb were found in products that were not supposed to have those ingredients. First of all, lets all take a deep breath. It would appear that modern hot dogs are made almost entirely by scary-looking machines. "It could have come from the person doing the analysis in the lab," says Rentfrow. Once it's inside the cell, it transforms into NMN and then to NAD+. In effect, almost all U.S. hot dogs are made with just meat.. Human DNA in samples "is a sign of lots of touching with human hands," she told ABC News. And they "provide limited information on their methodology. To be clear, the presence of human DNA does not mean there is human flesh in the hot dogs. Farmer Reports: GMOs Causing Deformities, Birth Defects in Piglets, GMO Corn and Herbicide Found in 100% of Frito-Lay SunChips Samples, Dangerous Ingredients: 54% of Food Sold at Walmart is Banned by Whole Foods Market, EWG Report: Your Tap Water is Contaminated with Toxic Forever Chemicals, Is Non-Toxic Nail Polish Really Non-Toxic? Clear Foods also analyzed vegetarian hot dogs and sausages. Unless you follow Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Human DNA is the last thing you could expect in your food. So, it's true that human DNA was found in hot dog samples - but that doesn't mean that consumers are cannibals as some of the more hysterical posts have claimed after the study was reported widely on media such as ABC News and USA Today. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The first human DNA gleaned from cave dirt came from Denisova Cave in Siberia in 2017. Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National were among the major brands that received top scores from Clear Foods. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Veggie dogs were the worst off, accounting for 67 percent of the hygiene issues and two-thirds of the human DNA found. standards and labeling requirements are restrictive, says Milkowski. However, Janet Riley, president of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, said Clear Food "has said very little about its sample collection procedure. Just try to think a bit more about DNA testing while you're doing so. Vegetarian hot dogs were also found to contain traces of meat, suggesting that they may not be as meat-free as advertised. Yes, human DNA! Wake up to the day's most important news. How is anything from the bodies of a hotdog worker getting into the mix? — -- The food that's a staple of American cookouts is getting some scrutiny for some unexpected ingredients. "We found chicken in a vegetarian breakfast sausage and pork in a vegetarian hot dog," the report explains. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 9 Surprising Foods Packed With Vitamin C. Researchers analyzed 345 hot dogs and sausages from 75 different brands sold at 10 retailers, and found human DNA in 2 percent of its hot dog samples and two-thirds of the vegetarian samples . "Yes, humans work at meat processing establishments," he says. Well, we did want to find out," Clear Labs Cofounder Mahni Ghorashi told Huffington Post. And, yep, 10 percent of them contained meat. And so does most food that was processed, cooked, boxed, or placed on a supermarket shelf by another human being. First of all, let's all take a deep breath. So what does this mean to you? You May Also Like 13 Signs You Need to See a Dermatologist Overall, 14.4 percent of the hot dogs and sausages tested by Clear Foods "were problematic," the company said. Maybe youve seen The Water Challenge floating around on social media. Rachel Holt (@ItsRachelHolt) dishes what else the study found. A spokesperson for Clear Food said that human DNA "degrades the quality of food" but is less of a public health concern. Clear Food study found 14.4 per cent of hot dogs or . Is It Safe to Use Expired Protein Powder? "The U.S. does not allow blood," he says. MORE: The 26 Hot Dogs Every Man Must Devour. Two-thirds of that human DNA was found in vegetarian hot dogs. Who are Really the Top Shareholders of Monsanto? 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. We talked to the actual experts in meat science, and got the real story, Is there any food more maligned than the lowly hot dog? A report by California startup Clear Food. October 25, 2015 11:34 PM ET. In effect, almost all U.S. hot dogs are made with just meat.". Overall, 14.4 percent of the hot dogs and sausages tested by Clear Foods were problematic, the company said. Or shopping at grocery stores, or buying food that at any point in its production was touched by human hands. And so does most food that was processed, cooked, boxed, or placed on a supermarket shelf by another human being. "One thing's certain: questions about the hot dog are as old as the hot dog itself. But lets say, just for the sake of argument, that Clear Labs research methods and results can be trusted. Credit: Marek Janta. Gardein was the top specialty or regional brand. ", After reviewing the company's website and research, Milkowski claims that while the founders have a molecular genetics background, "as far as I can tell they do not have any expertise or scientific training around food or agriculture." "What we do know is that any product collected in the marketplace was inspected and passed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Heres another analysis that will either put everything in perspective or send you into a spiral of food paranoia. So, sorry, there arent any pig anuses in hot dogs. ", (As of this writing, reps at Clear Lab have not responded to requests for comment.). The human DNA found in the dogs is largely the result of hair and broken fingernails. Sign Up for the Latest Health News and Tips, Home - Most Popular News Human DNA Found in Hot Dogs. Or shopping at grocery stores, or buying food that at any point in its production was touched by human hands. 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. Hope you enjoyed your lunch, Hannibal Lecter. A company that uses genomic analysis technology to get information on the contents of food has . Scientists may have tracked down the small percentage of DNA that might give modern humans the qualities unique to the species. It did not . DNA from 7,300-year-old skeleton Bess' found in Sulawesi cave uncovers mysterious human lineage ABC Science / By science reporter Belinda Smith Posted Wed 25 Aug 2021 at 12:00pm, updated Wed 25 Aug 2021 at 2:02pm The cave in which this skeleton was found was earmarked for development as a water park. So, sorry, there aren't any pig anuses in hot dogs. The study suggests that those looking for a DNA-free dog should head to Target, Safeway and Walmart, the study reports. The answer may be found in overlooked DNA Date: October 8, 2021 Source: Lund University Summary: Our DNA is very similar to that of the chimpanzee, which in. Even more disturbing, 66 percent of those cases were found in vegetarian-labeled products. "In most cases, pork found its way into chicken and turkey sausages," said Clear Food. But there were plenty of impartial meat academics happy to weigh in. 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. "Theres the old saying, 'You dont want to know how the sausage get made.' Human DNA found in the hot dogs was classified as a hygienic issue because human hair or skin dander likely got into the product during the manufacturing process, TruthOrFiction.com said the study reported. MORE: 5 Gross Guy Habits That Are Good for You, 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. Did you buy every apple or orange or potato or avocado that you groped or squeezed to make sure it was fresh? It also found human DNA in 2 percent of its hot dog samples and two-thirds of the vegetarian samples. All of the latest health news that actually matters. 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. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Is it true that a study found that some hot dog brands contained human DNA? 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. What are they going to tell us? 7 Natural Anti-Anxiety Herbs to Reduce Stress, Human DNA Found in a Small Sample of Hot Dogs and Sausages. Suppress Coughs by Coating the Throat inChocolate? Developed By, Antibiotics Could be to Blame for Skyrocketing Mental Illness Rates. "We found chicken in a vegetarian breakfast sausage and pork in a vegetarian hot dog," the report explains. Does anyone leave a hotdog plant without taking a Silkwood shower? If you're a hot dog lover, you may have beef with a study that finds certain varieties of hot dogs contain human DNA. For the record, no, hot dogs dont contain anus. Substitution issues are much more problematic. Altogether, 75 different hot dog brands from 10 different retailers were studied. Two-thirdsof the human DNA samples were vegetarian, according to Clear Food. It's not like somebody found a pinkie in a Hebrew National. 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? The stuffers pump the emulsified hot dog mixture into casings. How do they assure there are no false positives? All of these things can contaminate meat on the production line as its prepared and packaged. " Report: Human DNA Found in Hot Dogs " said USA Today, in a typical example. 9 Surprising Foods Packed With Vitamin C, 10 Signs Youre Living With Clogged Arteries, Tracee Ellis Ross at 50: Loving Her Body With No Filter, Taraji P. Hensons Workout: It Keeps Me Calm & Happy, Football Legend & Coach Deion Sanders Has Toes Amputated, BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy, 10 Foods Thatll Have You Sleeping Like A Baby, When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip: Healthy Dips For Super Bowl Weekend, Move Over Oranges! What You Should Know: Remember the first time a friend told you the horrible truth about hot dogs; that they're actually made from lips and hooves and pig's anus? The study, conducted by food analytics lab Clear Food, analyzed 345 different hot dogs and sausages, including vegetarian versions. ", Milkowski adds: "Certainly their information can make some juicy headlines and promote their organization, but I personally do not trust any of it. Oh yeah, sometimes a worker loses a finger or two in the goop vats. Overall, the company found nutritional label inaccuracies, pork substitution and some unexpected ingredients, including chicken and lamb in its hot dogs. Challenge yourself to drink one gallon of water DAILY at least for 30 days! And most of our top guys have seriously dry skin. Major brands including Butterball, Boar's Head, Hebrew National, Oscar Meyer, Jennie O and Trader Joe's all received high marks. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But the ingredients of hot dogs arent nearly as ominous as were often led to believe. [2]. Clear Food Labs, a food analytics start-up found that 10% of vegetarian hot . In light of the news that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially listed processed meats such as bacon and sausages as cancer-causing, this is probably the least of your worries if you're an avid hot dog lover. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story mistakenly listed the Taverrite's brand as vegetarian. And for most of the Internet, it was enough reason to go into full-on panic mode. Part of HuffPost News. Hygienic issues occur when some sort of non-harmful contaminant is introduced to the hot dog, in most cases, human DNA, said Clear Food in theirstudy. But let's say, just for the sake of argument, that Clear Labs' research methods and results can be trusted. We talked to actual experts in meat science, and got the real story. Interestingly, two-thirds of the samples with human DNA were from vegetarian hot dogs, indicating that the meat-free options had more hygiene issues than the regular sausages. Marion Nestle, a professor of public health and food studies at New York University and the author of several books, including "Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health," said the report's findings are not entirely surprising. Hot Dogs and Processed Meats as Bad as Cigarettes? Americans eat 20 billion hot dogs and 14 billion servings of sausages each year, according to the council. "Most consumers would be pleased and surprised to find out how clean and sanitary these plants are. But hey, customers hardly ever taste the flakes.". "DNA is not a food safety hazard," says Jonathan A. Campbell, Ph.D., a Meat Specialist and Assistant Professor at Penn State University. Substitution occurs when ingredients are added that do not show up on the label. "DNA testing produces no end of surprises but I seriously doubt that parts of human remains are incorporated into even the cheapest sausages. Then, long links of hot dogs are cooked in a smokehouse, cooled by being passed under a. Its a theory echoed by Gregg Rentfrow, Ph.D., a professor in Animal and Food Science at the University of Kentucky. 3. want to find out," Clear Labs Cofounder Mahni Ghorashi told Huffington Post. Here's another analysis that will either put everything in perspective or send you into a spiral of food paranoia. We may earn a commission through links on our site. "In most cases, a lot of humans are employed in the meat industry, and their DNA is throughout the building. Clear Food says the best retailers for hot dogs and sausage products are Target, Walmart and Safeway, and the top brands (in order) are Butterball, McCormick, Ekrich, and Hebrew National, all of which received a Clear Score of 96. But it's there. America's 120-year-old love affair with hot dogs extends from ballparks to backyards to the White House. Oaklander, M., This Could Cut Your Health Costs by $25,000 a Year, Study Finds, Time web site,October 13, 2015; http://time.com/4071897/stress-relief-healthcare-costs/. Nearly every cell in a person's body has the same DNA. Clear Food says its testing found human DNA in 2 percent of all hot dog samples. 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. The study indicates that many people could be eating pork without realizing it, although kosher hot dogs were found to be safe. 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. Even more disturbing, 66 percent of those cases were found in vegetarian-labeled products. Occasionally human workers are involved in the process, but they're wearing so much protective gear you'd think they were handling plutonium. Pork was found in 3% of samples, mostly in products advertised as chicken- or turkey-only, a discovery that is likely very disturbing to those who avoid pork due to religious reasons. All rights reserved. There were also issues with the nutritional content listed . But it's definitely disconcerting news for all those who are trying to cut down or avoid eating meat products by buying vegetarian options. By MORGAN KORN October 27, 2015, 8:50 AM Americans spent $2.4 billion last year on hot dogs and another $2.74 billion on sausages according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Related: The 26 Hot Dogs Every Man Must Devour. 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. Like Davey Griffin, Ph.D., a professor and meat specialist at the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. 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