eDNA Helps Identify Invasive Fish, New Study Finds

A school of fish swim in an aquarium at the Scientific Center of Kuwait on 20 March 2016 [YASSER AL/ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images]
A school of fish swim in an aquarium at the Scientific Center of Kuwait on 20 March 2016 [YASSER AL/ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images]
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eDNA Helps Identify Invasive Fish, New Study Finds

A school of fish swim in an aquarium at the Scientific Center of Kuwait on 20 March 2016 [YASSER AL/ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images]
A school of fish swim in an aquarium at the Scientific Center of Kuwait on 20 March 2016 [YASSER AL/ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images]

Invasive round goby fish have impacted local fisheries in the US by competing with native species and eating the eggs of some species. This problem affects the Finger Lakes in New York.

When the researchers started their study, they realized that these invasive fish can be difficult to find and collect - especially when they first enter a new body of water in small population. However, the researchers claim they addressed the problem by analyzing the so-called environmental DNA - or eDNA - from water samples.

During the study, researchers from the University of Cornell explored the Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, and proved that they can use this technique to detect invasive fish before they spread in large numbers. The findings were published January 12 in the journal Molecular Ecology.

"With these new advancements to eDNA methods, we can learn not only which invasive species are present in the environment, but because we identify the genetic diversity in the samples, we can also predict how many individuals there are and possibly where they came from," David Lodge, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in Cornell said in a report published on the university's website.

"For the first time, we demonstrate that there is sufficient genetic information in environmental samples to study the status of invasive difficult to monitor species without the need for direct contact," added Jose Andrés, researcher in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Since the method provides a genetic signature of individuals in a sample, scientists might be able to pinpoint where they came from by matching their DNA with populations from other areas.

"We would be able to tell genetically if round gobies were introduced by ships from Europe, which is how they originally got to the U.S. lakes, or by some other means of introduction. Knowing this information might be helpful if we hope to stem new introductions," said Andrés.



Many US Ice Cream Producers to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes by 2028

Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Many US Ice Cream Producers to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes by 2028

Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)

Dozens of US ice cream producers are planning to remove artificial colors from their products by 2028, a dairy industry group and government officials said on Monday.

The producers, which together represent more than 90% of ice cream sold in the US, are the latest food companies to take voluntary steps to remove dyes since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in April said the US aimed to phase out many synthetic dyes from the country's food supply.

Several major food manufacturers, including General Mills, Kraft Heinz, J.M. Smucker, Hershey and Nestle USA, have previously announced their plans to phase out synthetic food coloring.

The 40 ice cream companies will remove Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from their retail products, excluding non-dairy products, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

The IDFA announced the plan at an event at the US Department of Agriculture headquarters on Monday with Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

"We know that our current health outcomes, especially for our children, are unsustainable and that American agriculture is at the heart of the solution to make America healthy again," Rollins said at the event, referencing a slogan aligned with Kennedy.

Rollins and Kennedy have worked closely together on food sector efforts like encouraging states to ban soda from the nation's largest food aid program.

Kennedy has blamed food dyes for rising rates of ADHD and cancer, an area many scientists say requires more research.

The IDFA said artificial dyes are safe, but that ice cream makers are taking the step in part to avoid disruption to sales from state efforts to phase out dyes from school foods and West Virginia's recent food dye ban.