Tyson Foods, the US-based meat processor, has signed a deal with Identigen, the Irish food safety and traceability group, that will allow it to use Irish DNA technology for its products.
The deal has been done with Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, who will use Identigen's signature DNA TraceBack system to trace the cattle raised for Tyson’s Open Prairie Natural Angus Beef.
It will use the system to trace the origin of individual cuts of beef as they move through the supply chain, assuring customers that its beef was sourced from ranches where the cattle were raised to meet specific requirements, such as no antibiotics ever and no added hormones.
Transparency
“This is about meeting the growing demand for more transparency about how food is produced,” said Kent Harrison, vice president of marketing and premium programs at Tyson Fresh Meats.
“Through DNA TraceBack, we’re providing our retail and foodservice customers with scientific evidence that they’re getting high quality, natural beef from animals raised the way we promised.”
Identigen was one of the companies which conducted DNA sourcing tests on Irish beef in 2013 amid the horse meat scandal.
“Our DNA TraceBack program is the most advanced meat traceability system available and uses nature’s barcode to link meat from the point of sale back to the source,” Kent Partida, vice president of North American business development for Identigen, said.
“It will enable retail and foodservice customers of Open Prairie beef to confidently share their traceability story with shoppers.”
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
