Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University have developed FoodSeq-FLOW, a DNA sequencing platform that detects residual plant and animal DNA from foods in wastewater samples. This approach surveys food consumption within communities and may inform nutrition policies.
The study analyzed 183 wastewater samples from 21 treatment facilities across North Carolina, serving over two million residents. Researchers identified 184 plant food types and 123 animal food types. Analysis costs were reported at less than one cent per person.
To validate FoodSeq-FLOW's accuracy, researchers compared the abundance of food plants detected in wastewater from one facility with those found in 14 stool samples from residents served by that facility. Plant DNA abundances in wastewater correlated well with those in individual stool samples, and almost all animal DNA matched known food species, suggesting the platform accurately reflects human dietary patterns.
Monitoring over seven months at eight facilities showed that the presence of many food plants varied according to seasonal availability. For example, DNA from asparagus, blueberries, and okra was more abundant in spring and summer, while cabbage and citrus increased in fall and winter.