Eric Spitznagel is a frequent contributor to magazines like Playboy, Esquire, and the New York Times, and was employed for over two decades by the Second City comedy theater, where Stephen Colbert was his Secret Santa _twice. "The U.S. does not allow blood," he says. A new study has just revealed that hot dogs might, if research is to be believed, have a little human DNA in it. Overall, 14.4 percent of the hot dogs and sausages tested by Clear Foods "were. Hot Dogs and Processed Meats as Bad as Cigarettes? Processed meat causes cancer, red meat could too, says WHO, According to a report from a research division of WHO, processed meats cause cancer, and red meat likely does, too. What You Should Know: 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. Could Hibiscus Tea be Better than High Blood Pressure Drugs? The genomic analysis involved 345 different hot dog or sausage products from 75 brands, purchased at 10 different retailers in the US. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. But let's say, just for the sake of argument, that Clear Labs' research methods and results can be trusted. 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. Your Vegetarian Hot Dog May Contain Meat and Human DNA Is it true that a study found that some hot dog brands contained human DNA? The Absolute Best Crackers for Healthy Snacking, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. 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. 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 talked to the actual experts in meat science, and got the real story, Is there any food more maligned than the lowly hot dog? 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. The human DNA isn't . Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Hot Dog study found human DNA samples in 2% of the 345 hotdogs and sausages that it looked at. 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. 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? Human DNA Found in Hot Dogs - Doctors Health Press The hot dog and sausage report was self-funded, according to Clear Food. But lets say, just for the sake of argument, that Clear Labs research methods and results can be trusted. Clear Food says its testing found human DNA in two percent of all hot dog samples. Not least, the fact that 10 percent of the vegetarian mock-meat products tested actually contained meat. However, Janet Riley, president of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, said Clear Food "has said very little about its sample collection procedure. Hot dogs have never been seen as prime cuts of meat, but a new study has found human DNA in some samples. 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. "In most cases, a lot of humans are employed in the meat industry, and their DNA is throughout the building. But "people" is an ingredient most would expect limited to Soylent Green. And if this new research is in any way factual, 1.4 of your yearly hot dogs have bits of people in them. It did not. If you can stomach it, take a look at this video demonstrating how hot dogs are made. Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of, Kale is the newest craze in the health world. ", "We are unfamiliar with [Clear Food] and have a difficult time determining what to make of their methods or their findings," NHDSC spokesperson Janet Riley told ABC News in a statement today. Major brands including Butterball, Boar's Head, Hebrew National, Oscar Meyer, Jennie O and Trader Joe's all received high marks. Only one of the molecules has vitamin statusNR. Well, as you hopefully already knew, hot dogs aren't something you should be eating at every meal. It happens. The Hot Dog Report, Clear Food web site; http://www.clearfood.com/food_reports/2015/the_hotdog_report, last accessed October 30, 2015. 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.". In products not supposed to contain them, 10 contained tracesof chicken meat, 9 pork, 4 beef, 3 turkey and 2 lamb. Three percent of samples contained a pork substitution, which is particularly troubling for people who do not eat pork for religious reasons. 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.. Human DNA Found In Hot Dogs - BlackDoctor.org 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. Altogether, 75 different hot dog brands from 10 different retailers were studied. Oh, and she loves to take care of two ridiculously- spoiled cats in her free time. Clear Foods is a company that translates quantifiable molecular tests into actionable food data insights, according to its website. "Oh yeah, sometimes a worker loses a finger or two in the goop vats. Unless you also want to give up eating fruits and vegetables. That human DNA the Fresh Lab scientists found on the hotdogs they tested? 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? Ten percent of vegetarian products contained meat. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Part of HuffPost News. 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. Clear Food study found 14.4 per cent of hot dogs or . Pork substitution was an issue in products across the price spectrum being sold at a wide variety of retailers.". .css-13y9o4w{display:block;font-family:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-13y9o4w:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.3;}}Men's Health Review: Dymatize Protein Powder, America's 7 Most Inventive Hot Dog Styles, The Best Plant-Based Chicken, Pork, and Seafood, Here's What You Need to Know About Vitamin B12. BDO is the worlds largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. Researchers found issues with 14.4 percent of analyzed samples. The study suggests that those looking for a DNA-free dog should head to Target, Safeway and Walmart, the study reports. DNA from 7,300-year-old skeleton Bess' found in Sulawesi cave uncovers That's right, human DNA. Imagine how many apples could test positive after being handled by half the people shopping in the grocery store, he says. Are Farmers Being Manipulated Into Buying GMO Soybean Seeds? The study also concludes that 10 percent of veggie dog brands tested contained meat. What is it? It sometimes seems like it exists not because people enjoy the taste of a frankfurter, but because we just love speculating about all the secret and super-gross "ingredients.". I have been in numerous plants that make hot dogs and other processed meat products across this country, he told us. Beef, chicken, pork, and lamb were all found as unlisted ingredients. 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. Hot dogs were found to contain different types of meat than what was listed on the label. 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/. And so does most food that was processed, cooked, boxed, or placed on a supermarket shelf by another human being. Only a tiny fraction of our DNA is uniquely human - Science News Vegetarian hot dog products surprisingly fared the worst in this regard, with four out of the 21 products tested containing human DNA. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, a trade group that represents hog dog and sausage manufacturers, called the report a "publicity stunt. Likely more than 2%. 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.. Maybe Not, Study Shows, A Broccoli Anti-Aging Enzyme may Hold the Fountain of Youth, Illinois Ag. 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. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Like Davey Griffin, Ph.D., a professor and meat specialist at the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. Americans eat 20 billion hot dogs and 14 billion servings of sausages each year, according to the council. Developed By, Antibiotics Could be to Blame for Skyrocketing Mental Illness Rates. The skull of a modern human female individual from Zlat k. There's a concept that'll haunt you if you think about it too much. Veggie dogs were the worst off, accounting for 67 percent of the hygiene issues and two-thirds of the human DNA found. Initial attempts by USA TODAY Network to. Scientists have sequenced the oldest Homo sapiens DNA on record, showing that many of Europe's first . Human DNA in samples "is a sign of lots of touching with human hands," she told ABC News. Kosher hot dogs were the safest choice for products containing no pork. 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.. Clear Food Labs, a food analytics start-up found that 10% of vegetarian hot . Challenge yourself to drink one gallon of water DAILY at least for 30 days! Like Davey Griffin, Ph.D., a professor and meat specialist at the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M; University. They're still, as with most things in life, best in moderation. Just try to think a bit more about DNA testing while you're doing so. 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. Hot dogs are considered one of the most American foods. 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. Even more disturbing, 66 percent of those cases were found in vegetarian-labeled products. We didn't reach out to any of the major hot dog manufacturers, because obviously they would only deny the study's findings. Sign Up for the Latest Health News and Tips, Home - Most Popular News Human DNA Found in Hot Dogs. "Yes, humans work at meat processing establishments," he says. 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. All rights reserved. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council has attempted to reach Clear Food multiple times for further explanation on the report, according to Riley. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. And despite the genomic tests being done in California crowd-sourced labs, they probably dont have any people parts. — -- The food that's a staple of American cookouts is getting some scrutiny for some unexpected ingredients. 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. One with a hygienic issue contains non-harmful contaminants, such as human DNA. A company that uses genomic analysis technology to get information on the contents of food has . 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. No, Hot Dogs Do Not Contain Human Meat - The New York Times NMN vs. NR: 7 Important Differences To Keep In Mind That's right, human DNA. A report found some evidence of human DNA in a small percentage of tested hot dogs, a study shows. If you crunched the numbers, it was admittedly alarming. want to find out," Clear Labs Cofounder Mahni Ghorashi told Huffington Post. What makes us human? The answer may be found in overlooked DNA 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In effect, almost all U.S. hot dogs are made with just meat.. Some Hot Dogs, Sausages Studied Contain Human DNA, Says New Report While it may be the time of year when horror stories are passed around, the researchers believe that what theyre finding traces of isnt from chunks of human flesh, but rather from poor quality control standards that are resulting in human DNA entering the products in the forms of saliva, skin fragments (such as dry skin flakes), hair, and broken fingernails. Related: Hot Dogs and Processed Meats as Bad as Cigarettes? (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."). It also found human DNA in 2 percent of its hot dog samples and two-thirds of the vegetarian samples. The company found hygiene issues in four of its 21 vegetarian samples. As for specialty picks, the study suggested Taverrite's pork sausages and vegetarian option Gardien. Do you really know whats in your food? How is anything from the bodies of a hotdog worker getting into the mix? We talked to actual experts in meat science, and got the real story. 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. At least investigators didnt find a finger, but still [1]. It could have come from the person doing the analysis in the lab, says Rentfrow. Additionally, 10% of vegetarian hot dogs sold today contain traces of meat. Overall, 14.4 percent of the hot dogs and sausages tested by Clear Foods were problematic, the company said. is that the scientists found no correlation between price and quality. Is that even possible? The researchers found human DNA in two percent of samples, and 2/3 of those products containing human DNA were vegetarian products. And Gardein topped the specialty and regional hot dog list. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Vegetarian Hot Dogs Found to Contain Traces of Meat And Human DNA It would appear that modern hot dogs are made almost entirely by scary-looking machines. Two-thirds of that human DNA was found in vegetarian hot dogs. Some minor adjustments to your diet might be exactly what you need. Initial attempts by USA TODAY Network to reach out to the company independently have proved unsuccessful. Overall, the company found nutritional label inaccuracies, pork substitution and some unexpected ingredients, including chicken and lamb in its hot dogs. It's been a bad press week for meat. The human DNA found in the dogs is largely the result of hair and broken fingernails. Suppress Coughs by Coating the Throat inChocolate? Human DNA found in hot dogs - and 10% of vegetarian sausages contain meat All of these things can contaminate meat on the production line as its prepared and packaged. This $50 Meal Prep Plan Will Help You Build Muscle, 10 Food Subscription Boxes Worth Ordering, Theres Nothing Special About Gut Health Diets. However, no kosher dogs tested contained pork. "Imagine how many apples could test positive after being handled by half the people shopping in the grocery store," he says. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Its not all about, about 10 Foods Thatll Have You Sleeping Like A Baby. Theres a concept thatll haunt you if you think about it too much. 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. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Oh yeah, sometimes a worker loses a finger or two in the goop vats. Some Hot Dogs, Sausages Studied Contain Human DNA, Says New Report Clear Foods also analyzed vegetarian hot dogs and sausages. But the good news from the report (yes, there is some!) A new DNA analysis of hot dogs and sausages in the US has revealed a few harsh realities about everyone's favourite street food. Scientists may have tracked down the small percentage of DNA that might give modern humans the qualities unique to the species. But pig anus may seem like a more appetizing option when compared with the latest hot dog accusation. The study also found that two thirds of the samples containing human DNA were advertised as vegetarian and almost 15 percent of . A new study has just revealed that hot dogs might, if research is to be believed, have a little human DNA in it. Julie Fidler has written hundreds of articles on key world topics such as health, drugs, and law. America's 120-year-old love affair with hot dogs extends from ballparks to backyards to the White House. originally ran on MensHealth.com. 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? Heres another analysis that will either put everything in perspective or send you into a spiral of food paranoia. But there were plenty of impartial meat academics happy to weigh in. 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. This publicity stunt changes nothing about the fundamental safety of Americas carefully regulated and inspected hot dogs.. Once it's inside the cell, it transforms into NMN and then to NAD+. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. Sixty-seven percent of hygienic problems found in the report were from vegetarian products. If you crunched the numbers, it was admittedly alarming. Two-thirdsof the human DNA samples were vegetarian, according to Clear Food. So what are we missing? Report has stunning revelations for contents of hot dogs October 25, 2015 11:34 PM ET. The stuffers pump the emulsified hot dog mixture into casings. But the ingredients of hot dogs aren't nearly as ominous as we're often led to believe. This information is coming from a study by a fairly new organization thats using Kickstarter to fund much of its research. Is There Really Human DNA in Hot Dogs? | Prevention 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. But it's definitely disconcerting news for all those who are trying to cut down or avoid eating meat products by buying vegetarian options. Clear Food also found other problems with the hot dogs, including mislabeled ingredients, which could raise concern among religious and vegetarian groups. After analyzing hot dogs from 75 different brands, Clear Foods discovered human DNA in 2% of the samples studied. 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.". So what does this mean to you? "Likewise, when they suggest that some products showed the presence of another species, like chicken in a beef product, this could also be from a single cell and even result from very practice of pulling samples from multiple packages in the same room as the company may have done.". It does, however, score products based on hygiene, safety and accurate labeling. "DNA testing produces no end of surprises but I seriously doubt that parts of human remains are incorporated into even the cheapest sausages. 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. It happens. Two-thirds of that human DNA was found in vegetarian hot dogs, according to the study. Traces of Human DNA found in Hot dogs | Science Times 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. She is also the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. And if this new research is in any way factual, 1.4 of your yearly hot dogs have bits of people in them. Researchers found evidence of meat in products that did not list those ingredients on the label, including veggie dogs. 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.". Two percent of the samples tested positive for human DNA, and a whopping 66 percent of vegetarian hot dogs contained evidence of such contamination. 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? Then, long links of hot dogs are cooked in a smokehouse, cooled by being passed under a. How is anything from the bodies of a hotdog worker getting into the mix? Woot! Apparently not too many of us do. And for most of the Internet, it was enough reason to go into full-on panic mode. First of all, lets all take a deep breath. 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. But pig anus may seem like a more appetizing option when compared with the latest hot dog accusation. 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. Getty Images 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. They also discovered human DNA in two percent of the samples. U.S. What is DNA? Last year, scientists were able to extract the DNA of Denisovans - a little-known human population for. Most consumers would be pleased and surprised to find out how clean and sanitary these plants are. Hot Dogs Contain Human DNA, Veggie Dogs Contain Meat: Study