Dive Brief:
- Clear Labs, a startup that conducts next-generation genome sequencing of food, recently released a major molecule analysis of 258 burger products. The samples represented 79 brands and 22 retailers. Ground meat, frozen patties, fast food burger products, and veggie burger products were analyzed.
- Among the findings: 13.6% of the samples contained at least one instance of substitution, missing ingredients, hygienic issues, or pathogens.
- Clear Labs said in its Hamburger Report the insights will provide suppliers, manufacturers, and others with an overview of the supply chain, as well as molecular analysis into strengthening the good and improving the bad.
Dive Insight:
Clear Labs stated that while it found issues that need to be addressed (such as three cases of rat DNA and one case of human DNA), its findings suggest that the "beef industry as a whole has benefitted from stringent regulation and aggressive testing requirements." At this time, Clear Labs, which claims to have the largest database of genomic markers for food, works with approximately 10 food retailers and manufacturers to assist in securing their supply chains, according to Fortune.
Testing services offered by companies like Clear Labs provide advantages to manufacturers, especially as the FDA prepares to issue the final rule on the Food Safety Modernization Act, expected to be released this month.
In a recent survey conducted by Sparta Systems Inc., about 61% of U.S. food and beverage professionals said they feel their organizations are prepared to comply with FSMA regulations this year.
In another survey published last month, 68% of respondents said they were "somewhat ready" for FSMA, while only 25% confirmed they were ready for FSMA. Another 6% admitted they weren’t prepared at all.