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 lets say, just for the sake of argument, that Clear Labs research methods and results can be trusted. "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'. She is also the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. is that the scientists found no correlation between price and quality. They're still, as with most things in life, best in moderation. This $50 Meal Prep Plan Will Help You Build Muscle, 10 Food Subscription Boxes Worth Ordering, Theres Nothing Special About Gut Health Diets. Researchers found evidence of meat in products that did not list those ingredients on the label, including veggie dogs. Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National received the top scores for quality hot dogs among major brands. "In most cases, a lot of humans are employed in the meat industry, and their DNA is throughout the building. But the ingredients of hot dogs arent nearly as ominous as were often led to believe. (Supplied: University of Hasanuddin) 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. Heres another analysis that will either put everything in perspective or send you into a spiral of food paranoia. 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. Additionally, 10% of vegetarian hot dogs sold today contain traces of meat. Gardein was the top specialty or regional brand. Or shopping at grocery stores, or buying food that at any point in its production was touched by human hands. — -- The food that's a staple of American cookouts is getting some scrutiny for some unexpected ingredients. 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. During these very stressful times, it can be challenging to fall asleep or stay asleep. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Well, we did want to find out," Clear Labs Cofounder Mahni Ghorashi told Huffington Post. Does anyone leave a hotdog plant without taking a Silkwood shower? Occasionally human workers are involved in the process, but theyre wearing so much protective gear youd think they were handling plutonium. Or shopping at grocery stores, or buying food that at any point in its production was touched by human hands. A new study has just revealed that hot dogs might, if research is to be believed, have a little human DNA in it. The researchers found human DNA in two percent of samples, and 2/3 of those products containing human DNA were vegetarian products. Difficult economy and loneliness forces some retirees to move in with family, New drug could slow one type of vision loss, 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival. That may not bother a lot of people, but it means that 3 percent of the sausage and hot dog products tested contained a type of meat that's often excluded for religious reasons. Check out the full report for more information about the brands in the US that did well on the test. Sometimes referred to as mystery meat, hot dogs have often been the target of rumors. However, Janet Riley, president of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, said Clear Food "has said very little about its sample collection procedure. Clear Food study found 14.4 per cent of hot dogs or . Even more disturbing, 66 percent of those cases were found in vegetarian-labeled products. Hope you enjoyed your lunch, Hannibal Lecter. But why bother with store-bought snacks when you can make healthier homemade versions, Calling All Dippers and Chippers! Overall, the company found nutritional label inaccuracies, pork substitution and some unexpected ingredients, including chicken and lamb in its hot dogs. Well, as you hopefully already knew, hot dogs arent something you should be eating at every meal. Remember the last time you were in the produce section of a grocery store? Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National were among the major brands that received top scores from Clear Foods. Clear Food does not release the names of the poor-performing products. The company found hygiene issues in four of its 21 vegetarian samples. "It is unlikely that human DNA is harmful to consumer health. And heres another quandary worth considering. 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.). Americans eat 20 billion hot dogs and 14 billion servings of sausages each year, according to the council. However, no kosher dogs tested contained pork. 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. 7 Natural Anti-Anxiety Herbs to Reduce Stress, Human DNA Found in a Small Sample of Hot Dogs and Sausages. Clear Food reported that it found human DNA in six of the 345 samples, or 2 percent of all samples tested. "Skin is not allowed as it has no muscle tissue and thus does not qualify as a muscle trimming. Even with this stigma, hot dogs and sausages are incredibly popular in the U.S. Last year, Americans spent more than $5.0 billion on hot dogs and sausages. Is that even possible? Yes, humans work at meat processing establishments, he says. All of the latest health news that actually matters. For the record, no, hot dogs dont contain anus. Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of, Kale is the newest craze in the health world. Its not like somebody found a pinkie in a Hebrew National. 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. Clear Foodalso finds "there are a number of hot dog manufacturers, large and small, that are producing high-quality hot dogs with integrity.". originally ran on MensHealth.com. And despite the genomic tests being done in California crowd-sourced labs, they probably dont have any people parts. Check out the Clear Food site for the complete list of products Clear Food regards as high quality. It would appear that modern hot dogs are made almost entirely by scary-looking machines. Like Davey Griffin, Ph.D., a professor and meat specialist at the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. To be clear, the presence of human DNA does not mean there is human flesh in the hot dogs. Is it true that a study found that some hot dog brands contained human DNA? Sources for Todays Article: Hot dog ingredients have long been a source of controversy. Hot dogs, bacon, processed meats linked to cancer. "Imagine how many apples could test positive after being handled by half the people shopping in the grocery store," he says. U.S. This publicity stunt changes nothing about the fundamental safety of Americas carefully regulated and inspected hot dogs.. 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 arent true but were endlessly fun to repeat. All rights reserved. Apparently not too many of us do. Overall, 14.4 percent of the hot dogs and sausages tested by Clear Foods were problematic, the company said. DNA was in two per cent of all samples, predominantly in veggie products. How is anything from the bodies of a hotdog worker getting into the mix? 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? Four of the six samples that tested positive for human DNA were vegetarian products. complete list of products Clear Food regards as high quality. 2023 - All Rights Reserved. It did not . There were also issues with the nutritional content listed . "What we do know is that any product collected in the marketplace was inspected and passed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hope you enjoyed your lunch, Hannibal Lecter. Human DNA. It sounds horrifying. Is It Safe to Use Expired Protein Powder? Americans spent $2.5 billion on hot dogs, $2.74 billion on dinner sausages and more than half a billion on breakfast sausages last year, the report said. But hey, customers hardly ever taste the flakes.". And they're not wholly unwarranted," the report said. But the ingredients of hot dogs aren't nearly as ominous as we're often led to believe. Skin is not allowed as it has no muscle tissue and thus does not qualify as a muscle trimming. Unless you also want to give up eating fruits and vegetables. The researchers found human DNA in two percent of samples, and 2/3 of those products containing human DNA were vegetarian products. 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. It happens. What they found was that 14.4 percent of the items tested were problematic in some way, either as a result of contamination - which means that a non-harmful contaminant was found, most often human DNA - or substitution, which is where another food ingredient that's not on the label has been added. So, sorry, there aren't any pig anuses in hot dogs. If you can stomach it, take a look at this video demonstrating how hot dogs are made. Do they have appropriate laboratory quality procedures with both positive and negative reference sample controls in their analyses? 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.". One study found that wieners, bacon and other processed meats probably contribute to cancer, and now news of this study comes out. What Are These Tiny Red Spots on My Skin (Petechiae)? And, yep, 10 percent of them contained meat. Theyre still, as with most things in life, best in moderation. " Report: Human DNA Found in Hot Dogs " said USA Today, in a typical example. Sean Gallup/Getty Images By Tina Hesman Saey July 16, 2021 at. 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. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Altogether, 75 different hot dog brands from 10 different retailers were studied. So NR seems to have a more efficient path to NAD+ generation. want to find out," Clear Labs Cofounder Mahni Ghorashi told Huffington Post. 9 Surprising Foods Packed With Vitamin C. As in, homo sapiens. Vegetarian hot dogs were also found to contain traces of meat, suggesting that they may not be as meat-free as advertised. 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. And so does most food that was processed, cooked, boxed, or placed on a supermarket shelf by another human being. The study, conducted by food analytics lab Clear Food, analyzed 345 different hot dogs and sausages, including vegetarian versions. Remember the last time you were in the produce section of a grocery store? Meers, W., Hot Dogs Contain Human DNA, Veggie Dogs Contain Meat: Study, The Huffington Post web site, October 28, 2015; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hot-dogs-dna-veggie-dogs-meat_562e45abe4b0ec0a38950dc5. And most of our top guys have seriously dry skin. Getty Images Just try to think a bit more about DNA testing while you're doing so. And despite the genomic tests being done in California crowd-sourced labs, they probably don't have any people parts. That's right, human DNA. It could have come from the person doing the analysis in the lab, says Rentfrow. Trader Joe's is the best bet for vegetarians. All that really means is that Clear uses genetic sequencing to figure out just whats in your lunch. 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.". The human DNA found in the dogs is largely the result of hair and broken fingernails. 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. "It could have come from the person doing the analysis in the lab," says Rentfrow. Veggie dogs were the worst off, accounting for 67 percent of the hygiene issues and two-thirds of the human DNA found. Scientists may have tracked down the small percentage of DNA that might give modern humans the qualities unique to the species. Concession stand worker Janice Towns checks on the hot dogs she is making July 23, 2013, on National Hot Dog Day at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. In products not supposed to contain them, 10 contained tracesof chicken meat, 9 pork, 4 beef, 3 turkey and 2 lamb. Probably not, right? .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. Could Hibiscus Tea be Better than High Blood Pressure Drugs? Likely more than 2%. A new report, however, adds extra meaning to the phrase "you don't want to know how the sausage gets made.". But thats not all. 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. 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? How is anything from the bodies of a hotdog worker getting into the mix? By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. If you can stomach it, take a look at this video demonstrating how hot dogs are made. Some minor adjustments to your diet might be exactly what you need. 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. It's not like somebody found a pinkie in a Hebrew National. A report by California startup Clear Food. Credit: Marek Janta. 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. What is DNA? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Moreover, the amount of protein listed in some of the vegetarian products exaggerated the amount of protein in the item by as much as 250 percent, according to the report. The U.S. does not allow blood, he says. In effect, almost all U.S. hot dogs are made with just meat.. 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. Related: .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}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. Clear Food says its testing found human DNA in 2 percent of all hot dog samples. "The U.S. does not allow blood," he says. Plant personnel wear clean clothes and gloves, they have sanitary working equipment, and the USDA regularly inspects to ensure that products are made cleanly and safely for consumers.". Additionally, 10 percent of all vegetarian products appeared to contain meat. [2]. According to a study from Clear Labs, an independent food analytics startup, 10 percent of vegetarian hot dog products contain meat. 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? Sign Up for the Latest Health News and Tips, Home - Most Popular News Human DNA Found in Hot Dogs. THE Organic Non-GMO Cookbook & Shopping Guide (E-Book). A report found some evidence of human DNA in a small percentage of tested hot dogs, a study shows. about Take The Gallon Of Water Challenge! As for the top dogs, Clear Food recommends national brands Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National. 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. 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. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story mistakenly listed the Taverrite's brand as vegetarian. What are they going to tell us? Clear Food also found other problems with the hot dogs, including mislabeled ingredients, which could raise concern among religious and vegetarian groups. But pig anus may seem like a more appetizing option when compared with the latest hot dog accusation. It also found human DNA in 2 percent of its hot dog samples and two-thirds of the vegetarian samples. "Most consumers would be pleased and surprised to find out how clean and sanitary these plants are. As for specialty picks, the study suggested Taverrite's pork sausages and vegetarian option Gardien. Men's Health Review: Dymatize Protein Powder, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Initial attempts by USA TODAY Network to. 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. But hey, customers hardly ever taste the flakes.. It's a theory echoed by Gregg Rentfrow, Ph.D., a professor in Animal and Food Science at the University of Kentucky. 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. 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? "We found chicken in a vegetarian breakfast sausage and pork in a vegetarian hot dog," the report explains. But it's there. Well, we. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The human DNA isn't . The study indicates that many people could be eating pork without realizing it, although kosher hot dogs were found to be safe. Overall, 14.4 percent of the hot dogs and sausages tested by Clear Foods "were. So, sorry, there arent any pig anuses in hot dogs. Yes, human DNA! How did actual human DNA end up in hotdogs? For the record, no, hot dogs don't contain anus. 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. However, areport uncoveredsome startling findingson what peopleare really eating when theybite into a frankfurter. 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. 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. They analyzed 345 hot dogs from 75 brands, and found "human DNA in 2% of the samples, and in 2/3rds of the vegetarian samples.". BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. Video provided by Newsy, and other processed meat can cause colorectal cancer, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Yes, two percent of hot dogs and sausages out there contain human DNA, as a new study recently found.. Overall, 14.4% of the hotdogs and sausages that were tested were listed as "problematic" because of substituted or unexpected ingredients or hygienic issues. Human DNA was found in 2 percent of the samples, which doesn't mean that there were traces of human meat in the sausages, but simply that there was some kind of contamination, so that could be through a stray hair or skin cells, or potentially even saliva. February 12 is the 2023 Super Bowl LVII, and what better way to celebrate this annual sporting event than by enjoying the deliciousness of a chip and dip combo with some family and friends? Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA . 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But "people" is an ingredient most would expect limited to Soylent Green. October 25, 2015 11:34 PM ET. 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? 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? After analyzing hot dogs from 75 different brands, Clear Foods discovered human DNA in 2% of the samples studied. What is it? Two-thirdsof the human DNA samples were vegetarian, according to Clear Food. 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. What percentage of grocery store fruits and vegetables have a little human DNA on them? Not least, the fact that 10 percent of the vegetarian mock-meat products tested actually contained meat. But there were plenty of impartial meat academics happy to weigh in. about 7 billion hot dogs will be consumed in the U.S. Vegetarian hot dog products surprisingly fared the worst in this regard, with four out of the 21 products tested containing human DNA. Developed By, Antibiotics Could be to Blame for Skyrocketing Mental Illness Rates. 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. The first human DNA gleaned from cave dirt came from Denisova Cave in Siberia in 2017. Even more disturbing, 66 percent of those cases were found in vegetarian-labeled products. Pork substitution was an issue in products across the price spectrum being sold at a wide variety of retailers.". 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. Related: Hot Dogs and Processed Meats as Bad as Cigarettes?