Tyson Foods Is Using DNA to Prove the Pedigree of Premium Beef
- DNA markers can identify animals, even after meat processing
- Rapidly-growing Open Prairie brand will use the tracing tech
Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg
This article is for subscribers only.
Responding to consumer demands for traceability, Tyson Foods Inc. plans to use DNA samples from elite cattle to track steaks, roasts and even ground beef back to the ranches the animals grew up on.
Consumer research keeps showing that shoppers are demanding to know where their food comes from, said Kent Harrison, vice president of marketing and premium programs at Tyson Fresh Meats. A majority of Americans want to know everything that’s in their food, and more are trying to buy healthy and socially conscious products, according to Nielsen.