84. BARCODES OF DNA

♤ A team of researchers claim that they have developed a technique by which any product can be tagged with synthesized DNA and then subsequently read as a means of identification.

♤ Scientists at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, believe that they can create and replicate a certain type of ‘molecular tag’ or ‘molecular barcoded labels’ in large quantities.

♤ Each tag or label, depending on what it is used for, is made up of a cocktail of chimerical molecules of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

♤ These tags, which are non-toxic, can then be applied to a number of products—where they stay attached and can be easily read using low-cost portable equipment.