Scheme to fight misleading country of origin labels on pork products

IRELAND has scored a global first with the release of a DNA pigmeat certification programme that will counteract misleading country of origin labels on retail pork products.

The IFA and Dublin-based food traceability experts IdentiGEN unveiled their joint DNA Certified programme, which will bring DNA markers from every Irish boar into one central database. Farmers, food producers and AI authorities will also participate.

IFA president John Bryan said: “This DNA-certified initiative will provide the highest level of traceability that exists anywhere in the world. Pig producers here operate to the most stringent standards as part of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme. This partnership with IdentiGEN will safeguard Irish pig producers by ensuring that processors guilty of passing off imports as Irish will be exposed.”