Dive Brief:

• A San Francisco startup is selling a new spray-on DNA barcode that could be the next weapon in the war against foodborne illnesses.
• DNATrek's system sprays a tiny amount of DNA directly onto food. The unique bits of DNA code for each item allow for rapid tracebacks in the event of an outbreak. 
• DNATrek says the technology, which was first developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a biodefense tool, is tasteless and odorless. 

Dive Insight:

Anything that can help reduce the number of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses would be welcome news, and this particular technology does seem to have some advantages. More importantly, the DNATrek system is part of a broader movement in which the simple labels of the past are being replaced by innovative, high-tech, and information-dense alternatives.