This, after a recent report released by Clear Labs, a food analytics company based in the United States, after conducting an independent 2-year study where some 258 varied burger samples were analyzed from 100 different retailers which included products like fast food burgers, frozen patties, ground beef and veggie burgers.
Initial findings revealed that almost 14 percent of the samples analyzed had pathogenic contamination, hygiene issues and incorrectly labeled ingredients, but the most concerning problem is with ingredients labelling, where researchers discovered that they found beef in five of the samples but were not supposed to be in it, chicken in four samples where it did not indicate in such, pork meat in two samples, rye in two, an artichoke in one and no traces of black beans in a product touted as a black bean burger.
Eleven of the products contained evidence of pathogenic DNA with bacteria and viruses that are likely to cause influenza and tuberculosis symptoms, as well as gastroenteritis. While cooking is believed to be an effective manner of getting rid of harmful germs, a major concern was raised that four of these products with traces of pathogens were vegetarian burgers which are previously categorized as low-risk foods.
Another sample contained human DNA, which researchers hoped may have somehow contaminated the food either from dead skin, fingernails or hair from one of any of the handlers during the manufacturing process.
What’s more disturbing, however, is that three of the samples contained rat DNA and one of which was a vegetarian burger and although there may be slight chances of these DNA traces causing harm to health, however, this is a strong indication that rat DNA is a sure sign of poor handling and quality of food.
Surprisingly, the study revealed that the vegetarian burgers were the ones that fared worst on the study compared to meat products. There was only a 13.6 percent of all the samples showing indications of a discrepancy in their claims of ingredients, however, a large chunk of those at 23.6 percent was found on vegetarian products- two of the veggie-burgers had meat in it.
Although the study did not name the restaurants or fast food chains that were included in the research, however, this could help raise the alarms with all food brands to always consistently check and assess their manufacturing and supply processes.
This discovery is starting to raise alarm bells as this has a significant impact into the cultural, traditional and even health-related dogmas in the food industry as it can damage the reliability and integrity of food production companies that would redound to retailers.
The post Your Burgers May Have Gross Stuff In It appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB CANADA.
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