LAWRENCE, Kan. — Tallgrass Beef, a market leader in branded grass-fed beef production, will use DNA TraceBack from IdentiGEN to provide a reliable and accurate traceability system so that every cut of Tallgrass beef can be traced back to the family farm where the animals were raised.
IdentiGEN’s DNA TraceBack, which has earned the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s certification as a “Process Verified Program,” is a product verification system providing meat companies with a process to manage food safety and quality assurance.
Guarantee
Tallgrass Beef packages at the retail meat case will carry IdentiGEN’s DNA TraceBack seal, a guarantee to consumers that each cut came from Tallgrass’ pasture-based, humane production and processing system.
Tallgrass beef is available in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. In the east, flagship customers include Fairway Markets in New York, Sunset Foods and Fox & Obel in Chicago, as well as Sendik’s Food Markets in Milwaukee.
All Tallgrass beef comes from cattle derived from special genetic stock, raised by producers who strictly adhere to humane practices and the highest standards of husbandry.
Ultrasound technology
Tallgrass Beef uses ultrasound technology to safely and humanely detect the right amount of marbling and muscle to produce the most tender, best-tasting beef, and it provides complete food chain traceability through IdentiGEN’s DNA TraceBack.
DNA TraceBack was developed in 1996 by a group of geneticists from Ireland’s Trinity College. The system is widely used by European retailers, including Tesco, Superquinn and Dunnes Stores, to verify product authenticity and country of origin as well as manage food safety.
The company now operates its North American headquarters in Lawrence, Kan.
Approved
IdentiGEN’s DNA TraceBack system is an approved USDA Process Verified Program. The program designation signifies that the USDA has verified the IdentiGEN system as a consistently reliable program in which meat processors, meat producers, retailers and consumers can have confidence.
There are currently 36 approved USDA Process Verified Programs.
More information
Additional information can be found at http://processverified.usda.gov/.
