# 2/3 of vegetarian hot dogs found to contain human DNA. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 26, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817 "2015-10-26T21:06:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/1 "2015-10-26T21:06:26Z")
All of the major news outlets are pushing the story of WHO’s announcement that [processed meats cause cancer](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/world-health-organization-processed-meats-cause-cancer_562e1144e4b0aac0b8fd51b2). So maybe we should all switch to vegetarian hot dogs, right? > **[Report: Human DNA found in hot dogs](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/10/26/report-human-dna-found-hot-dogs/74617102/)** > > Hot dogs are considered one of the most American foods. > [@](#): > > Clear Food analyzed 345 hot dogs and sausages from 75 different brands sold at 10 retailers and found that 14% had hygienic or substitution issues, according to the report. > … > The online food guide, which uses “genomic technology” to examine foods by ingredients, found human DNA in 2% of the samples, and in two-thirds of the vegetarian samples." > … > Ten percent of vegetarian products contained meat. > … > Sixty-seven percent of hygienic problems found in the report were from vegetarian products. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/2 "2015-10-26T21:17:31Z")
Wait, what? I thought they were made from soy and lentils. But seriously, we need a heck of a lot more information, here. Can anyone else confirm this report? Are the results actually valid? And if they are, what’s the nature of the contaminations, and at what level? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/3 "2015-10-26T21:23:09Z")
I’m a little skeptical. My first thought was that the human DNA was simply from handing. But if that’s true, why is there so much more in the vegetarian products? Are they handled more? Here’s the source of the report. [http://www.clearfood.com/food\_reports/2015/the\_hotdog\_report](http://www.clearfood.com/food_reports/2015/the_hotdog_report) I know nothing about “Clear Food”. I wonder how competent the analyses are. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/4 "2015-10-26T21:26:45Z")
When you click through to the source report: > [@](#): > > Human DNA found in 2% of samples > > 2/3 of the human DNA samples were vegetarian products. So, taking the report at face value, of the 345 hot dogs, 2% (~7) had human DNA. Two thirds **of those** (~4) were vegetarian products. It does not say that 2/3 of all veggie dogs sampled contained human DNA. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/5 "2015-10-26T21:34:28Z")
It’s ambiguous. > [@](#): > > The online food guide, which uses “genomic technology” to examine foods by ingredients, found human DNA in 2% of the samples, **and in two-thirds of the vegetarian samples**." It doesn’t say 2/3 of the 2% were vegetarian. It says it was found in 2/3 of the vegetarian samples, which sounds like it means 2/3 of all vegetarian samples. Maybe only a very small percentage of the products were vegetarian, such that 2/3 of them are less then 2% of the total products tested. It may be that there was such a small number of vegetarian samples tested that the number isn’t statistically relevant. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/6 "2015-10-26T21:37:57Z")
Oh wait. You’re quoting from the original report, which does in fact indicate that 2/3 of the 2% were vegetarian. You’re right. USA Today screwed it up in their article. I should have read the original report before posting. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/7 "2015-10-26T21:38:11Z")
I am soooo NOT a scientist. But it looked like their testing methodology was a little opaque. From their site: > [@](#): > > We first test food products for DNA using Clear Labs’ proprietary next-generation genomic sequencing workflow. Again, not a scientist, but is using a proprietary testing methodology the way it’s usually done? Don’t scientists usually fully disclose their methods so their results can be verified? I am 100% sure there is contamination in hot dogs, as well as lots of other food. I am fully willing to believe that some products tested contain human DNA and that some vegetarian products contain meat. I am, however, a bit skeptical of these guys’ work. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/8 "2015-10-26T21:40:45Z")
The original report also says: > [@](#): > > 10% of Vegetarian products contained meat. I too am skeptical. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/9 "2015-10-26T21:51:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, what? I thought they were made from soy and lentils. Soy and Lentil hotdogs are made out of people! They’re made out of people! Soy… lent… made… peopleeeee… Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/10 "2015-10-26T21:57:10Z")
But do they contain more human flesh than the 4% allowable by the FDA? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/11 "2015-10-26T22:12:06Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Soy and Lentil hotdogs are made out of people! They’re made out of people! Soy… lent… made… peopleeeee… > > Enjoy, > Steven ::applause:: ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/12 "2015-10-26T23:30:24Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I am soooo NOT a scientist. But it looked like their testing methodology was a little opaque. From their site: > > Again, not a scientist, but is using a proprietary testing methodology the way it’s usually done? Don’t scientists usually fully disclose their methods so their results can be verified? Translation: we’re a startup with a very slightly tweaked method for doing DNA sequencing. How can we get a lot of free press very very quickly? Wait…I bet hot dog factory workers occasionally shed hair and skin… ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/13 "2015-10-26T23:43:30Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Translation: we’re a startup with a very slightly tweaked method for doing DNA sequencing. How can we get a lot of free press very very quickly? > > Wait…I bet hot dog factory workers occasionally shed hair and skin… I bet that DNA sequencing workers also shed hair and skin… ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/14 "2015-10-26T23:46:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, what? I thought they were made from soy and lentils. > But seriously, we need a heck of a lot more information, here. Can anyone else confirm this report? Are the results actually valid? And if they are, what’s the nature of the contaminations, and at what level? soy and lentils. soy and lentils. soy lentils. soylentils. SOYLENT YELLOW IS MADE OF VEGETARIANS! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/15 "2015-10-27T00:53:02Z")
I am not surprised. The next steps are experiments to figure out whether hotdogs are sentient and if they are truly human or rather human/legume/pig/beef/dog/cat/chicken hybrids. Only then can we begin to figure out how they should be classified legally. Things could get tricky if they are granted full human rights. I had one that in my refrigerator named George that I was really fond of until I got really ravenous in the middle of the night and ate him in a fit of insanity. It is troublesome to think I could be labeled a cannibal or murderer if these studies continue. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/16 "2015-10-27T01:33:10Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I bet that DNA sequencing workers also shed hair and skin… 😃 Maybe that’s the proprietary part? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/17 "2015-10-27T01:35:57Z")
I feel that any scientist who’s cracked the mystery of what kind of meat is in a hot dog deserves a Nobel Prize. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/18 "2015-10-27T01:42:52Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Soy and Lentil hotdogs are made out of people! They’re made out of people! Soy… lent… made… peopleeeee… > > Enjoy, > Steven I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/19 "2015-10-27T01:54:19Z")
Well, if you go to the “about us” section of the website…uh…there isn’t one. But it’s backed by ClearLabs. If you go to the “about” link at Clearlabs…uh…it’s got employee bios. No mission statement or ownership details. I wonder about astroturfing. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817/20 "2015-10-27T02:15:05Z")
OMG, I’m a cannibal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-3-of-vegetarian-hot-dogs-found-to-contain-human-dna/735817.md?page=2)