Deoxyribonucleic acid

Deoxyribonucleic acid, commonly abbreviated to DNA, is the molecule carrying the genetic instructions of every organism, built from four bases in a double helix. In food science, DNA analysis authenticates species in meat and fish, detects undeclared allergens and GMOs, and traces pathogens during outbreak investigations. Heat and processing fragment DNA, so methods are designed to work with degraded samples. DNA-based testing has become a cornerstone of food fraud prevention, giving supply chains a molecular proof of identity. Reference databases of authenticated sequences underpin every identification, so their curation is critical.