Monterey is one of California's iconic seafood spots, but that apparently doesn't mean you always get what you order at the city's eateries and grocery stores.

DNA testing in Monterey showed that that more than one-third of the seafood samples collected from 17 grocery stores, restaurants and sushi venues were mislabeled according to federal standards.

Those results were released Thursday by the international ocean advocacy group Oceana and the Monterey Weekly. The publication targeted species with regional significance and those that were found to be mislabeled from previous studies, including red and yellowtail snapper, wild salmon and sole.

Oceana had other groups have found higher rates of fish mislabeling in Los Angeles (55 percent) and Boston (48 percent), and similar rates in South Florida (31 percent). Last year, the group launched an initiative to reduce what's been dubbed "seafood fraud," in which one species is substituted for another.

The practice can undermine local fishermen and consumers' ability to make choices based on fishing practices, location and variety of seafood.

"Given how famous Monterey Bay is for fresh, local seafood, if we are seeing seafood fraud at this level, it's happening everywhere," said Geoff Shester, California program director for Oceana. He was not aware of any San Diego-specific study on the issue, though his group is testing seafood at other spots nationwide.

Oceana said the biggest surprise was the discovery that restaurants selling popular Monterey Bay sand dabs were actually selling juvenile flathead sole. None of the fish labeled as sand dabs were Pacific sand dab found in local waters, DNA tests showed.

We still dont know whether the baby flatfish sold as sand dabs came from Alaska or as the result of trawling in a local fish nursery habitat," Shester said. Either way, residents and tourists seeking this famous Monterey Bay seafood dish at a local restaurant are being duped, at the expense of local hook-and-line fishermen who can catch real sand dabs sustainably.

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DNA tests show seafood fraud haunts iconic port

By Mike Wagner

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday August 2, 2012 10:55 AM

Attorneys for former Akron Police Capt. Douglas Prade, center, say the tests prove his innocence.

New lab-test results show that DNA recovered from a murder scene in Summit County didn't come from a former Akron police captain who was convicted of killing his ex-wife nearly 15 years ago in a case that received national attention.

Douglas Prade, 66, is currently serving a life sentence at the Madison Correctional Institution, but has always maintained his innocence after being convicted in September of 1998. Prade was found guilty of shooting his ex-wife, Margo, a prominent Akron doctor and the mother of his two daughters. Margo was shot six times following a struggle in her van in a parking lot outside of her office.

They are not going to find my DNA because I didnt do it, said Prade in a prison interview with the Dispatch last year. This has always been about seeking and revealing the truth.

View video interviews The Dispatch conducted with Prade in 2007

The DNA testing, conducted by DNA Diagnostics Center of Fairfield, north of Cincinnati, focused on the lab coat Margo was wearing during the attack and specifically a bite mark left by her killer. Testing results released today found male DNA present within the bite mark but it didnt match Prade. Further testing of the lab coat performed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations during the past several months didnt detect the presence of other male DNA. Fingernail scrapings from Margo Prade and other items collected from the crime scene were also tested and excluded Douglas Prades DNA.

Attorneys at the Ohio Innocence Project, based at the University of Cincinnati, say the testing results prove Prades innocence and he should be exonerated. They are asking Summit County Common Pleas Judge Judy L. Hunter to set Douglas Prade free or, at the very least, grant him a new trial. A hearing in Akron to determine the significance of the new testing results is scheduled for Aug. 21.

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Former Akron police captain excluded by DNA test

Winning government approval would be the first step in increasing public confidence in personalized genetic testing

Maciej Frolow / Photodisc / Getty Images

Earlier this week, the personal gene-testing company 23andMe announcedthat its seeking the blessing of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its DNA tests that allow people to peer into their genetic makeup.

If the FDA grants approval, it would be a major step forward for the growing industry springing up around genetic testing. Every day, it seems, scientists are reporting new gene-based discoveries that allow them to better pinpoint the causes of disease. As technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, single-gene tests are being joined by the sort of genotyping technology used by 23andMe, which scans about 1 million points on the genome that are known to vary among humans. An even more complex technique, genomic sequencing, looks at about 3 billion points that cover a persons entire genetic code. 23andMe the name is a reference to the 23 pairs of chromosomes that comprise a persons genome intends to eventually offer sequencing, but the cost starts at around $4,000, which is considerably more expensive than the $299 the company charges for its testing.

Not only is sequencing more costly, but it also uncovers a trove of data that researchers have yet to fully understand. Even among the more targeted areas of the genome that 23andMe examines, there is much information that remains murky if not elusive. Of the 1 million points we look at, theres only a fraction of those that science can tell us anything about, says Ashley Gould, 23andMes vice president for corporate development and its chief legal officer.

Since 23andMe began offering testing in late 2007, more than 150,000 people have become clients. The vast majority have been adults, although parents can give consent for their children to participate. Our goal is to get 1 million in our database, says Gould. Having more people will increase our power to conduct research. There is immense power in coming together to progress research.

(MORE: 23andMe Seeks FDA Approval for Personal DNA Test)

The company was co-founded by Anne Wojcicki, who is married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Her bio on the company website explains why shes interested in personal genetics, expressing her hope that the company will create a common, standardized resource that has the potential to accelerate drug discovery and bring personalized medicine to the public. (Plus, getting access to her own genetic information and understanding it has always been one of Annes ambitions.)

The $299 fee includes processing of a saliva sample via a collection kit the company sends out. The data gleaned from the sample is shared with users via a secure website. Customers also have access to the companys ancestry features, which have helped people track down relatives. There are 242 health reports available for different conditions, enabling users to learn more about traits like freckling or eye color as well as carrier status for cystic fibrosis, for example, and risk for diseases such as Alzheimers. As new literature is published, we add new reports, says Gould.

When data reveals increased risk for certain diseases, 23andMe offers up videos that share more detailed information about that specific condition. The company also has a relationship with a nationwide genetic counseling service that users can call for an appointment.

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Personal DNA Testing: What Can It Reveal?

Ottawa, ON (PRWEB) August 02, 2012

DNA Genotek, a subsidiary of OraSure Technologies Inc. and a leading provider of products for biological sample collection, and BioServe Biotechnologies, Ltd today announced that they are jointly providing support for a new genomic study into craniofacial anomalies (cleft lip and palate) in Ethiopia. The project, titled Collaborative study on gene- environment interaction in craniofacial anomalies, will investigate the genetic and environmental causes of craniofacial anomalies (cleft lip and palate) with the ultimate aim of prevention. The research project will be conducted by principal investigator Dr. Mekonen Eshete of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia with the support of external advisers and collaborators - Professor Peter Mossey of the University of Dundee and Dr. Azeez Butali of the University of Iowa.

In Ethiopia, infectious diseases such as HIV, TB, and malaria are the primary health concerns which often results in less focus on congenital problems. However, the impact of a congenital birth defect can be very severe when coupled with poor socioeconomic conditions. Through the DNA Genotek Helping Hands Program, DNA Genotek will be providing OrageneDNA kits to collect DNA from saliva from study participants. DNA Genotek Partner Program member BioServe Biotechnologies will provide the DNA extraction services as part of its corporate philanthropy program. The collaboration will enable the execution of this important research project.

I believe the support we are receiving from DNA Genotek and BioServe will help bring a change in the management of congenital anomalies in general and clefts in particular. While the majority of Africans have knowledge about congenital anomalies including clefts, different superstitious meanings are given to the condition and in fear, many parents leave children born with congenital anomalies to die. Supporting this research will bring a change in both medical treatment and societal attitudes, said Mekonen Eshete, MD, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Addis Ababa University.

BioServe welcomes the opportunity to participate in the DNA Genotek Helping Hands program, particularly for a cause as worthy this one, said Rama Modali, President of BioServe. Its rewarding for our entire company to see our services directly contribute to results-oriented public health projects like this one that offer such large potential impact.

The DNA Genotek Helping Hands Program has a long history of assisting organizations that are innovators in disease research, disease prevention and treatment, said Ian Curry, president, DNA Genotek Inc. We chose to support this project as we firmly believe that it will have a long-term impact on significant numbers of people. We are pleased to work with our partner company, BioServe, on this important initiative to ensure its ultimate success.

The reality is that in the present circumstances many infants born with CL/P in sub-Saharan African countries, and in other low income countries in the world do not survive, often due to lack of awareness and perceived burden of care, said Professor Peter Mossey, University of Dundee. This generous gesture by DNA Genotek and BioServe, by raising awareness is literally life-saving, and will unlock the potential for a study in Ethiopia that can be replicated in other sub-Saharan African countries and that is geared ultimately towards primary prevention.

These are exciting times for cleft research in Africa and this study provides a wonderful opportunity for prevention of clefts and other birth defects, said Dr Azeez Butali of the University of Iowa.

Oragene is a registered trademark of DNA Genotek Inc. All other brands and names contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Some DNA Genotek products may not be available in all geographic regions.

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DNA Genotek Inc. and BioServe Biotechnologies, Ltd. to Support Genetic Study of Craniofacial Anomalies in Ethiopia

By Ador Vincent Mayol, Chito Aragon Cebu Daily News

DNA test results of items owned by kidnap-homicide suspect Bella Ruby Santos showed no traces of bloodstains from slain kidnap victim Ellah Joy Pique.

The disclosure of the DNA test results by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) caused Santos lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo to declare that the case against his client will be dismissed soon.

But Senior Supt. Jose Pante, CIDG-7 chief, said it wouldnt affect the case.

We rely more on the testimony of the witnesses, Pante told Cebu Daily News.

The DNA test results on two items seized by police confirmed that the dead body found in Barili town was that of 6-year-old Ellah Joy.

The two items, a yellow- blanket and yellow comforter, were used to cover Ellah Joys remains.

Still, Villagonzalo said the results only showed the failure of the prosecution to prove the guilt of his client.

The suppression of evidence by the prosecution is over. The truth has come out. Their efforts to mislead the public is finished, he said.

Villagonzalo said the prosecution is only giving false hope to the Pique family, who blamed Santos and her British partner Ian Charles Griffiths of being responsible for their daughters death.

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DNA test results turn negative in Bella’s items