First high-density DNA Chip for Food and Feed Traceability

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In the agri-food industry, traceability is essential to trace the history of a food or feed product all the way from the raw materials to the final point of sale - « from farm to fork ». Traceability ensures true economic value and correct labeling for producers, processors and retailers. Accurate product labeling also helps the consumer to make an informed choice.

Since China joined the World Trade Organization in December 2001, food industry representatives and the Chinese Government have been actively working to promote more accurate food labeling and implement regulations.
bioMérieux recently launched an innovative, high-technology test that will help food industries do just that. FoodExpert-ID® is the first high-density DNA chip designed specifically for food and animal feed testing. It enables the identification and validation of the animal species composition of food or feed samples.

Using the latest advances in molecular biology, the FoodExpert-ID test makes it possible to verify the animal species composition and the authenticity of raw or processed food and animal feed. Combining expertise in genetics, DNA technology, image analysis and bio-informatics, the FoodExpert-ID DNA chip supports 80,000 oligonucleotide probes specially designed by bioMérieux and is powered by Affymetrix® GeneChip® technology.

The innovative breakthrough in FoodExpert-ID lies in the test’s capacity to detect 33 different species of vertebrate, and to simultaneously identify ingredients derived from animals in food and feed samples according to two taxonomic criteria: class (mammals, fish and birds) and species (beef, chicken, salmon…). For the first time, FoodExpert-ID provides the industry with the answers to “open-ended questions” concerning the real composition of food products. It is now possible, for example, not only to confirm that beef curry puffs contain beef, but that they contain only beef, or to determine whether high-grade tuna is really the species it is claimed to be and pure fish products contain only the fish claimed and not any other fish species.

The test report generated by the FoodExpert-ID software is based on the unique DNA signature of the product. This report constitutes the “Identity Card” of the vertebrate animal species entering into the composition of the product, thereby providing a invaluable tool to ensure labelling accuracy. FoodExpert-ID contributes to traceability and quality assurance in the food and feed industry through species identification at every step of the manufacturing chain “from farm to fork”.