Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: APDN), a provider of DNA-based security solutions, today announced that its CEO, Dr. James Hayward will be heard on Aug 22, 2008 on American Public Radio's Marketplace which airs on National Public Radio. This program will be aired at 6:30 pm on AM820 or FM93.9 in the NY area; go to www.npr.org to find your local station. This interview can be accessed after it has aired at http://marketplace.publicradio.org/episodes/episode_index.php and clicking on August 22, 2008.
The wine industry is enduring a crime wave: wine thefts are on the rise and fake vintages appear both at auction and retail. Some experts estimate that as much as 5% of the fine wine secondary market involves counterfeit wines. Dr. Hayward was asked to comment on the growing problem of counterfeiting in wine and how APDN's DNA technology can be used, not only to identify counterfeit wine but also to authenticate a wine's heritage. From grape juice shipped across borders in hopes of acquiring a famous region's acclaim, to generic grapes labeled with illustrious names and ancient vintages - the full range of trickery occurs on a regular basis.
Applied DNA Sciences offers its BioMaterial Genotyping™ and SigNature™ DNA to help vintners, retailers and consumers verify the appellation of a wine and that a product is genuine. APDN's patented DNA technologies allow winemakers to determine the origin of the wines (BioMaterial Genotyping™) or the packaging (SigNature™ DNA markers), in both cases providing a method for authenticating wines with certainty. Verified authenticity increases potential customers' confidence in the product and their purchase decision.
BioMaterial Genotyping ™ tools have recently been developed by the Company to track American cotton from the field to finished garments. Applied DNA has begun to apply the same expertise to the genotyping of wine. This allows the identification of wine based on the varietal of grape and the region it is grown in. BioMaterial Genotyping™ offers the potential for profiling individual wines, wineries and entire wine regions in new and powerful ways and uses proprietary technology that only APDN possesses.
SigNature™ DNA markers, which are instantly detectable and can be forensically authenticated, are embedded into the ink, paper and/or adhesives used in bottle labels; embedded into the ink used in cork imprints; or added to holograms , which become forensic security tools with the addition of DNA. These invisible SigNature™ DNA markers can be instantly detected and are easily embedded during the manufacturing or printing process, allowing the winery to protect the authenticity of its high value product, as well as the investments of its customers and collectors.
Senator Ken LaValle recently announced a New York State initiative to establish an Agricultural Consumer Science Center on Eastern Long Island in the burgeoning wine district. Applied DNA Sciences is planning to collaborate with NY State to make its technologies available to regional wineries through this Center. "The East End of Long Island is largely dependent on its agricultural output, which includes its vineyards," said Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. "The technology offered by Applied DNA would help protect our local wine producers by ensuring that counterfeited products would be easily detected."
Wine Counterfeiting:
As computer technology becomes more sophisticated, it is easier than ever for criminals to duplicate wine labels and packaging. An increasing number of faux "trophy wines" have come onto the market in recent years, fooling buyers and sometimes, experts. Often it can be almost impossible to tell the difference between the real thing and a counterfeit to all but the very well-trained eye. One form of fraud involved affixing counterfeit labels of expensive wines to bottles of less expensive wine and in 2002, bottles of the weaker 1991 vintage of Château Lafite Rothschild were relabeled and sold as the acclaimed 1982 vintage in China at a much higher price. Had SigNature™ DNA been embedded into the labels of the 1991 vintage, the counterfeits would have been quickly identified.
Consumer Health and Safety:
Counterfeit wines have long affected the health and safety of consumers. Twenty-three people died in 1986 because a fraudulent winemaker in Italy blended toxic methanol (wood alcohol) into his low-alcohol wine to increase its alcohol content. In 1985, diethylene glycol (an anti-freeze) appeared to have been added as an adulterant by some Austrian producers of white wines to make them sweeter and upgrade the dry wines to sweet wines.
About Applied DNA Sciences, Inc.
Applied DNA Sciences markets and sells DNA encrypted and embedded solutions that are forensically authenticated by machine-readable devices. These solutions can be easily integrated with a range of inks, threads, varnishes, adhesives as well as thermal ribbon, inkjet and laser ink. Applied DNA Sciences' products can help protect the brands and intellectual property that can easily be eroded by counterfeiting, product diversion and fraud. APDN's common stock is listed on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol "APDN".
The statements made by APDN may be forward-looking in nature and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe APDN's future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN's SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB, filed on January 15, 2008 and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-QSB. APDN undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.