Imprint Analytics: Fighting food fraud or where your strawberry comes from?

The sensitivity of consumers to the country of origin of the products was increased by several scandals recently. The misdeclaration of the country of origin of strawberry is a hot topic this year. The product safety, transparency and traceability regarding the origin have become “must have” in fruit and veg market. This demand was reflected in EU and Member States’ legislation as well as in the establishment of research centers, who help fighting food fraud.

Some of the companies use complicated schemes that make “product with origin from country X” become “product with origin from country Y”. Most of the times it is hard to uncover those schemes as usually 4 or more companies are involved.

In order to stop falsification, food and price fraud the state of Burgenland in Austria collaborated with Imprint Analytics. The Head of Laboratory of the Imprint Analytics Dr. David Psomiadis says:

“We use novel methodology based on stable isotope analysis to identify the geographic origin of the product and its ingredients”. They compare the fingerprint of the unknown sample with the verified sample, for example strawberry with unknown country of origin is compared with strawberry from country X. “Advanced analytical origin testing by isotope analysis is provided as the method of choice to get document-independent and reliable assurance regarding the cultivation area or the producing region of the food product”, - adds Dr. Psomiadis.

Due to weather conditions this year growers of apples in Central Europe were followed by crop failure. So apples from foreign countries are being imported. Similar situation is being observed with other fruits and vegetables from all over the world. In these conditions it is very important that the end users can trust the country of origin on the label and the producers/distributors can safeguard the brand of origin as well as the added-value of their precious products.

Contact: Imprint Analytics GmbH, Austria
Dr. David Psomiadis
Tel.: +43 590-10 89062
Mob.: +43 676-39 69442
Email psomiadis@imprint-analytics.at
www.imprint-analytics.at