DNA Authenticity
Know what's actually in your product, ingredient, or material
Every biological product carries a species identity encoded in its DNA, from a supplement capsule to a piece of fish, a jar of honey, a bag of coffee, a spool of yarn, or a plank of imported wood. The identity is written into the biology, whether anyone has ever checked it or not.
Lumicore reads that identity. We extract DNA from the product itself, sequence it, classify every species present, and deliver a detailed report documenting exactly what species were detected. The answer comes from the molecular content of the material and is independent of any label or supplier claim.
We are a DNA authenticity testing and genomics laboratory in Tampa, FL, and we built this service for anyone who needs to know what is in a product: businesses protecting their brand, producers verifying their supply chain, and individuals who want a straight, science backed answer about what they are buying or putting in their bodies.
What we analyze
Our sequencing platform and classification system are designed to identify biological species across a broad range of product types and sample matrices. The science is the same across categories, while the extraction protocols and reference databases are optimized for each one.
Dietary Supplements and Botanicals: Botanical identity verification for herbal supplements, mushroom species confirmation, ingredient screening for multi component formulations, and adulteration detection, including undeclared fillers, substitutions, and unexpected species. Supplement categories include adaptogenic herbs, medicinal mushrooms, immune support botanicals, single ingredient capsules, multi ingredient blends, tinctures, powders, and other formulations. If the label lists a species, we can confirm whether it's there.
Seafood and Meat: Species verification for fresh, frozen, and processed fish, shellfish, and meat products. Mislabeling in seafood reaches 20 to 40 percent in some markets, and species substitution in meat products is well documented across global supply chains. Our analysis confirms what species are present in the product, whether that matches the label, and whether anything undeclared is there.
Honey and Bee Products: Botanical source profiling through pollen DNA and detection of undeclared species or additives. Honey is one of the most adulterated foods in the world, and DNA analysis provides a level of specificity that visual pollen microscopy and chemical assays cannot reach on their own.
Coffee: Species verification distinguishing premium arabica from robusta and detection of undeclared species in blends. Coffee fraud through species substitution is well documented in the global supply chain, and DNA provides definitive confirmation at the species level.
Spices, Herbs, and Specialty Foods: Species confirmation for olive oil, saffron, vanilla, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, and other high value ingredients frequently targeted for dilution or substitution. Detection of undeclared plant material, fillers, and adulterants in dried herb and spice products.
Beverages: Species verification for ingredients in kombucha, mead, herbal teas, juice products, and other beverages derived from biological ingredients. Liquid matrices present greater extraction challenges due to dilute and degraded DNA, and we are actively developing and refining our capabilities for these sample types.
Timber and Wood Products: Species identification for raw logs, processed lumber, and finished wood products. Timber presents genuine extraction challenges that have kept DNA based species testing from becoming routine in the industry. We are actively building our capability in this area with the goal of making DNA based wood species verification practical and accessible.
Textiles, Fibers, and Leather: Species verification for cashmere, wool, silk, cotton, down, and exotic leather products. DNA based species identification has been demonstrated for unprocessed animal fibers, and we are developing our capabilities for processed textiles and leather as our protocols mature.
Other Natural Materials: Our platform extends to any material where biological species identity matters. Luxury goods, agricultural products, pet food, natural cosmetic ingredients, and other biological materials all carry DNA that can be analyzed for species content. If you have a product or material and a species question, reach out and we will tell you whether we can answer it.
What you receive
Every analysis produces a certificate of analysis (COA) documenting the species identified in your sample, the confidence level associated with each identification, and the full methodology used to generate the result.
Your report includes the sequencing platform used, the sample preparation method, the sequence determination algorithm model and version, the reference database version, and the analytical pipeline used for classification. A qualified scientist can evaluate exactly how we arrived at our conclusions and assess the methodology on its merits. Clients who require the underlying sequence data for their own records or independent evaluation can request it.
Reports are written to be understandable by anyone, whether you are a quality manager evaluating incoming ingredients, a brand owner reviewing a product claim, or a consumer who sent in a single bottle from your kitchen shelf.
We report what we find, and we report it completely. That includes species that match the label, species that don't, undeclared components, and cases where recoverable DNA was insufficient for classification. Every outcome is documented honestly, because an accurate result, whatever it shows, is more useful than an incomplete one.
How it works
The process is straightforward. Reach out to us with a description of what you want tested. We discuss your product, your sample type, and what you are looking to learn. From that conversation, we confirm that your sample type is within our analytical capability and walk you through what to expect.
You send us your sample. We handle the DNA extraction, library preparation, sequencing, and bioinformatic classification in our laboratory. Your sample is analyzed against our reference databases to identify every species present.
We deliver your report. Your COA arrives documenting everything we found, backed by full methodology and confidence data. If you have questions about the results or what they mean for your product, your supply chain, or your next steps, we are available to discuss them with you.
Who this is for
This service is built for anyone with a biological product and a species question.
Supplement brands and manufacturers verifying incoming botanical and fungal ingredients before they enter production. Confirming that the species on the label match what is actually in the capsule protects your brand, supports your quality program, and gives your customers a reason to trust what you sell.
Food and beverage producers seeking species level confirmation of their ingredients and finished products. Whether you are a local honey producer, a specialty coffee roaster, a craft beverage maker, or a food brand managing multiple suppliers, DNA identification gives you a definitive answer about what is in your product.
Importers and distributors confirming that shipments contain what the supplier documented. Species substitution can happen at any point in a supply chain, and DNA verification catches it at the material level.
Retailers and restaurants who want confidence in the products they put in front of their customers. Sourcing claims carry weight when they are backed by science.
Quality assurance and product integrity teams at companies of any size building or strengthening internal testing programs with species level DNA data.
Individual consumers who want to know what is actually in the products they buy. A single sample receives the same rigorous analysis and the same detailed report that a commercial client receives. This service was built to be accessible to you.
Agricultural producers and seed companies verifying variety identity, confirming or ruling out the presence of genetic modifications, and supporting documentation efforts for proprietary cultivars.
Environmental and conservation organizations using DNA analysis for species identification in ecological, biodiversity, and habitat assessment contexts.
Why DNA
DNA is the most definitive form of species identification that exists. Every organism carries it. It persists through processing, drying, freezing, and packaging. It identifies species with a specificity that visual inspection, chemical testing, and documentation cannot match on their own. And it reveals everything in the sample, including species that nobody expected to find, because sequencing reads the full biological content of the material rather than screening for a predetermined list.
Other verification methods answer the questions they were designed to ask. DNA sequencing also answers questions nobody thought to ask yet. That is the foundation this service is built on.
Serving Tampa Bay, Florida, and beyond
Lumicore is located in Tampa, FL, serving clients across the Tampa Bay region, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Orlando, and Central Florida, as well as customers throughout the Southeast United States and nationwide. Samples are accepted by mail from anywhere in the USA.
Get started
If you have a product that you want tested, or if you want to discuss whether DNA identification can answer your specific question, we want to hear from you. Every project starts with a conversation, and that conversation is always free.
Contact us at inquire@lumicore.org or through our website. Tell us what you have, tell us what you want to know, and we can take it from there.