MONTGOMERY, Ill. — Aurora Packing Co., the producer of Aurora Angus brand beef, has reached an agreement with Fox River Foods, Inc. that allows it to distribute Aurora Angus products throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota.

Aurora says this is because American consumers prefer not only branded beef, they also want to know the origins of their food. It stated Aurora Angus is the first beef brand in the United States to offer guaranteed traceability.

The DNA TraceBack program not only aims to ensure consistency and superior quality through scientifically-proven animal genetics, it also verifies the exact origin of each cut of beef. Each animal is DNA-sampled so that in every stage of the production chain – from the farmgate, through the processing plant and into a restaurant kitchen – the precise origin of Aurora Angus beef is guaranteed.

Although DNA TraceBack can be adapted for any type of meat, Aurora Vice President Lowell Zoet said his firm processes only beef. Aurora Angus is sourced within 300 miles of the packing company and processed at sister company New City Packing in Aurora, Ill. Both companies are only about 10 miles from Fox River Foods in Montgomery.

Because the companies are sourcing locally, products travel fewer miles, which is touted as beneficial for the environment and fresher for customers. European markets have been using DNA-traceable technology for some time. 

Zoet said it was important for Aurora Angus to use it, as it is starting to export beef to South Korea.

“Aurora Angus beef meets Korea’s high standards for quality and consistency, but we needed DNA traceability to complete the picture,” Zoet said.

Aurora’s use of DNA traceability was approved as a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) after an extensive review and on-site audit of the company’s operations. 

The program ensures that processing facilities meet quality standards verified by the USDA and continually verified by third-party audits.

The DNA TraceBack system, developed by IdentiGEN of Lawrence, Kan., received PVP approval in November 2007.

The DNA sampling device resembles a pencil with a barcode cap. The barcode is read and linked with the carcass ID at the plant level and a sharp edge on the instrument is scraped across the carcass. The instrument is then placed back in its container with a barcoded cap and shipped overnight to IdentiGEN’s lab, where samples are profiled and cataloged.

In the event of a food safety issue, DNA TraceBack systems allow companies to narrow the scope of a recall back to the source, quickly and accurately.