Sturgeon Valley Pork to use DNA-based meat traceability system

(MEATPOULTRY.com, April 15, 2009)
by Bryan Salvage

ST. ALBERT, ALBERTA, CANADA — Sturgeon Valley Pork announced it intends to incorporate a state-of-the-art DNA traceability system that can trace its pork from the grocer's meat case back to the processing plant and farm of origin. The company’s federally inspected processing plant supplies fresh pork to Western Canada.

Sturgeon Valley Pork is using a meat-tracking system called DNA TraceBack, developed by IdentiGEN Inc., which has been used in Europe since 2000. Under the system, DNA samples will be taken from Sturgeon Valley hogs at the processing plant and sent to IdentiGEN's laboratory, where their unique DNA identifiers are used to verify product origin.

Once the program is implemented, pork from Sturgeon Valley will display IdentiGEN's DNA TraceBack seal at the retail meat case.

"The DNA TraceBack program helps link Sturgeon Valley producers directly with the consumer," said Dan Majeau, one of the principals at Sturgeon Valley Pork. "Because it is based on sound science, it provides an added assurance that helps us build trust with our customers."