BLC extracts DNA from leather
The British Leather Technology Centre BLC has succeeded in extracting DNA from leather for the first time ever. As a result of this breakthrough, species can now be identified definitively; as was proved at the BLC with the positive species identification for chamois leather.
Working with a partner laboratory using techniques similar to those pioneered for forensic DNA profiling, BLC has determined an exact species identification for a range of leather types including bovine, ovine, goat and pig. This new method increases the precision of species identification immensely, as traditional tests using microsocopy were performed without the grain layer and this made identification difficult and potentially inaccurate.
This new development will have wider implications in terms of trading standards and customs issues and it is hoped to extend the use of this technique to improve the level of traceability within the supply chain.
