DNA verification systems company IdentiGEN has developed a new test which can authenticate Aberdeen-Angus beef,allowing beef producers to safeguard the name and heritage of the variety.
The test was commissioned by Scotland-based Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society(AACS),as a part of its plan to establish Certified Aberdeen-Angus Beef(CAAB)as the leading British and Irish beef brand.
Till date,a paper-based system has been used to authenticate Aberdeen-Angus beef;however,this technique is prone to errors.
The new DNA-test analyses a swab which has been taken during the time of slaughter and tracks the animal's origins all the way to the farm where it was conceived,to authenticate the Aberdeen-Angus beef.
IdentiGEN co-founder Ronan Loftus said the partnership sets a new quality benchmark for the British meat industry and ensures traceability for all beef carrying the Certified Aberdeen-Angus Beef label.
While the original Aberdeen-Angus cattle were developed from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland,they are now bred in South America,Canada,the US and South Africa.
