The other other white meat. ", 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." 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.". "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. ", officially listed processed meats such as bacon and sausages as cancer-causing, Huge New Study Shows Why Exercise Should Be The First Choice in Treating Depression, A World-First Discovery Hints at The Sounds Non-Avian Dinosaurs Made, For The First Time Ever, Physicists See Molecules Form Through Quantum Tunneling. Even more disturbing, 66 percent of those cases were found in vegetarian-labeled 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? Initial attempts by USA TODAY Network to reach out to the company independently have proved unsuccessful. Maybe youve seen The Water Challenge floating around on social media. Found ten per cent of vegetarian hot dogs and sausages contained meat. Substitution occurs when ingredients are added that do not show up on the label. But there were plenty of impartial meat academics happy to weigh in. Oh, and she loves to take care of two ridiculously- spoiled cats in her free time. Is that even possible? "Oh yeah, sometimes a worker loses a finger or two in the goop vats. Wake up to the day's most important news. In addition to the human DNA, 67% of the hygienic issues detected in the samples were caused by vegetarian products. Flashback: Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury, 3 Simple, Natural Ways for Detoxing Your Body, The Herbal Remedy to Kick the Smoking Habit & Repair the Lungs. So what does this mean to you? "I have been in numerous plants that make hot dogs and other processed meat products across this country," he told us. 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. 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. The Hot Dog study found human DNA samples in 2% of the 345 hotdogs and sausages that it looked at. Nearly every cell in a person's body has the same DNA. The good news: As bad as some brands were found to be, there are some . DNA is not on the FDA's list of product defects, so the agency would likely decide what action needs to be taken on a "case-by-case basis" if it confirmed the report's findings. There were also issues with the nutritional content listed on labels, with the analysis showing that protein content could be exaggerated up to 2.5 times. How do they assure there are no false positives?, Milkowski adds: Certainly their information can make some juicy headlines and promote their organization, but I personally do not trust any of it., (As of this writing, reps at Clear Lab have not responded to requests for comment.). How do they assure there are no false positives? Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National received the top scores for quality hot dogs among major brands. But the ingredients of hot dogs arent nearly as ominous as were often led to believe. While, Before you gulp that daily glass of OJ, check out these 9 other surprising foods packed with vitamin C, an essential nutrient required for the development and maintenance of scar tissue, blood vessels, cartilage and more. MORE: The 26 Hot Dogs Every Man Must Devour. Yes, the ONE thing that they are NOT supposed to have in it. Human DNA has been found in two per cent of hot dogs and sausages, a major study of popular brands has revealed Tests on 345 samples from different 75 brands also revealed ten per cent of. 2023 www.jacksonville.com. Altogether, 75 different hot dog brands from 10 different retailers were studied. Imagine how many apples could test positive after being handled by half the people shopping in the grocery store, he says. So, sorry, there arent any pig anuses in hot dogs. Clear Labs, a nonprofit group that analyzes food at. Hot dogs haven't received much love lately. Probably not, right? Still, it's always nice to use a little science when making your shopping decisions, so go forth and gorge yourself on hot dogs. Heres another analysis that will either put everything in perspective or send you into a spiral of food paranoia. All of these things can contaminate meat on the production line as its prepared and packaged. Andrew L. Milkowski, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, says hes suspicious about the quality of (Clear Labs) information., After reviewing the companys 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. And they provide limited information on their methodology. Clear Food says its testing found human DNA in two percent of all hot dog samples. Today, hot dogs are usually processed in factories, where meat trimmings, spices, and other ingredients are chopped and blended into an emulsification and routed to automatic stuffers. Theyre still, as with most things in life, best in moderation. All rights reserved. Two percent of the samples tested positive for human DNA, and a whopping 66 percent of vegetarian hot dogs contained evidence of such contamination. U.S. It would appear that modern hot dogs are made almost entirely by scary-looking machines. The products came from 75. Researchers highlighted the pork, which was found in beef and turkey hot dogs, as a particularly problematic result, given that some religions forbid the consumption of pork. ", MORE: 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. 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. Four of the six samples that tested positive for human DNA were vegetarian products. about When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip: Healthy Dips For Super Bowl Weekend, about Move Over Oranges! A new report, however, adds extra meaning to the phrase "you don't want to know how the sausage gets made.". So what are we missing? Woot! It happens. But this is not a "contaminant" but a "non-aesthetic idea of something in our food that the average consumer feels may not be pleasing to them.". Remember the last time you were in the produce section of a grocery store? Basically, any food that you haven't personally grown or harvested. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? A company that uses genomic analysis technology to get information on the contents of food has . Now thatsahygienic issue. Hot dog sausages contain human DNA, study says, and many vegetarian ones contain meat Another problem is that 4.3 per cent of burgers contained pathogenic DNA, which can cause food. Men's Health Review: Dymatize Protein Powder, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Challenge yourself to drink one gallon of water DAILY at least for 30 days! 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. So what does this mean to you? Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some minor adjustments to your diet might be exactly what you need. But this is not a contaminant but a non-aesthetic idea of something in our food that the average consumer feels may not be pleasing to them.. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. And for most of the Internet, it was enough reason to go into full-on panic mode. Did you buy every apple or orange or potato or avocado that you groped or squeezed to make sure it was fresh? What percentage of grocery store fruits and vegetables have a little human DNA on them? Two-thirds of the human DNA was found in vegetarian products. Sources for Todays Article: Theres a concept thatll haunt you if you think about it too much. Is It Safe to Use Expired Protein Powder? Skin is not allowed as it has no muscle tissue and thus does not qualify as a muscle trimming. If you're a hot dog lover, you may have beef with a study that finds certain varieties of hot dogs contain human DNA. Clear Food says its testing found human DNA in two percent of all hot dog samples. Vegetarian hot dog products surprisingly fared the worst in this regard, with four out of the 21 products tested containing human DNA. Sometimes referred to as mystery meat, hot dogs have often been the target of rumors. 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." about Take The Gallon Of Water Challenge! Ten percent of vegetarian products contained meat. And most of our top guys have seriously dry skin. Two-thirds of that human DNA was found in vegetarian hot dogs, according to the study. It did not . Vegetarian hot dogs were also found to contain traces of meat, suggesting that they may not be as meat-free as advertised. 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. It's sometimes referred to as the queen of greens because its nutritional value is just about unmatched. For most of us growing up, it was one of those irresistible rumorslike how some rock songs have satanic messages if you play them backwardsthat aren't true but were endlessly fun to repeat. Additionally, 10 percent of all vegetarian products appeared to contain meat. "It is unlikely that human DNA is harmful to consumer health. 7 Natural Anti-Anxiety Herbs to Reduce Stress, Human DNA Found in a Small Sample of Hot Dogs and Sausages. We may earn a commission through links on our site. A study of both meat and vegetarian hot dogs showed that they contain unadvertised ingredients - including human DNA. 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. A report by California startup Clear Food. What is it? And, yep, 10 percent of them contained meat. complete list of products Clear Food regards as high quality. The human DNA found in the dogs is largely the result of hair and broken fingernails. 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. BDO is the worlds largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. For the record, no, hot dogs don't contain anus. For the record, no, hot dogs dont contain anus. Overall, the company found nutritional label inaccuracies, pork substitution and some unexpected ingredients, including chicken and lamb in its hot dogs. First of all, lets all take a deep breath. "What we do know is that any product collected in the marketplace was inspected and passed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Scientists have sequenced the oldest Homo sapiens DNA on record, showing that many of Europe's first . Overall, 14.4 percent of the hot dogs and sausages were listed as "problematic" because of substituted or unexpected ingredients or hygienic issues, the media reports stated. NR is a form of vitamin B3. Yes, human DNA! standards and labeling requirements are restrictive, says Milkowski. During these very stressful times, it can be challenging to fall asleep or stay asleep. 2023 - All Rights Reserved. The Hot Dog Report, Clear Food web site; http://www.clearfood.com/food_reports/2015/the_hotdog_report, last accessed October 30, 2015. Agencies Investigating Asbestos in J&J Baby Powder, Insane: Free Drug for Debilitating Disease Leaps to $375k a Year, Barium Everywhere: Tell Congress to Stop Toxic Chemtrail Spraying, Alaska Fishermen Concerned GM Salmon Could Harm $6.4 Billion Fishing Industry. Clear Food reported that it found human DNA in six of the 345 samples, or 2 percent of all samples tested. It sounds horrifying. But "people" is an ingredient most would expect limited to Soylent Green. How did actual human DNA end up in hotdogs? One study found that wieners, bacon and other processed meats probably contribute to cancer, and now news of this study comes out. But lets say, just for the sake of argument, that Clear Labs research methods and results can be trusted. Does anyone leave a hotdog plant without taking a Silkwood shower? "We found chicken in a vegetarian breakfast sausage and pork in a vegetarian hot dog," the report explains. .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. Other ingredients such as chicken, lamb, turkey and beef showed up in samples that were not listed on the product's packaging, according to Clear Food, which did note that no pork was found in the "100% Kosher" products it tested. Vitamin Status. Sixty-seven percent of hygienic problems found in the report were from vegetarian products. A new study has just revealed that hot dogs might, if research is to be believed, have a little human DNA in it. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story mistakenly listed the Taverrite's brand as vegetarian. Only one of the molecules has vitamin statusNR. 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. ", Well, what about blood or skin? And we know that the food being served is almost as important as which team is scoring the most points. They're still, as with most things in life, best in moderation. But the good news from the report (yes, there is some!) THE Organic Non-GMO Cookbook & Shopping Guide (E-Book). Remember the first time a friend told you the horrible truth about hot dogs; that theyre actually made from lips and hooves and pigs anus? A new study has just revealed that hot dogs might, if research is to be believed, have a little human DNA in it. Check out the Clear Food site for the complete list of products Clear Food regards as high quality. Are Farmers Being Manipulated Into Buying GMO Soybean Seeds? The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, a trade group that represents hog dog and sausage manufacturers, called the report a "publicity stunt. The study, conducted by food analytics lab Clear Food, analyzed 345 different hot dogs and sausages, including vegetarian versions. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Maybe Not, Study Shows, A Broccoli Anti-Aging Enzyme may Hold the Fountain of Youth, Illinois Ag. The article "Is There Really Human DNA in Hot Dogs?" Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Researchers found evidence of meat in products that did not list those ingredients on the label, including veggie dogs. 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. However, no kosher dogs tested contained pork. about 7 billion hot dogs will be consumed in the U.S. Likely more than 2%. The researchers found human DNA in two percent of samples, and 2/3 of those products containing human DNA were vegetarian products. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. To be clear, the presence of human DNA does not mean there is human flesh in the hot dogs. Well, we did want to find out," Clear Labs Cofounder Mahni Ghorashi told Huffington Post. 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. The study, conducted by Clear Food, found human DNA in hot dog sausage from 75 different brands, besides also finding that 10 percent of vegetarian sausage have meat in them. First of all, let's all take a deep breath. In response to The Hot Dog Report's findings, Janet Riley, president of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council stated that Clear Food "has said very little about its sample collection procedure . Occasionally human workers are involved in the process, but they're wearing so much protective gear you'd think they were handling plutonium. Any organs or edible by-products must be explicitly labeled in the ingredient line and the product name must have a qualifier made with variety meats., Well, what about blood or skin? It would appear that modern hot dogs are made almost entirely by scary-looking machines. And heres another quandary worth considering. Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National were among the major brands that received top scores from Clear Foods.