Food authenticity

What does authenticity mean?

Food is considered authentic or genuine if the product or its contents correspond to the original condition and the information on the label. Authentic goods are free from adulteration, especially with regard to composition, nature and varietal purity, geographical origin and manufacturing method. Food fraud is of particular importance in this context. Here, consumers are deceived by deliberate product adulteration. Authenticity testing provides an opportunity to detect deception and food fraud attempts.

Protection of consumers' interests

Food law shall aim at the protection of the interests of consumers and shall provide a basis for consumers to make informed choices in relation to the foods they consume. It shall aim at the prevention of:
(a) fraudulent or deceptive practices
(b) the adulteration of food
(c) any other practices which may mislead the consumer

Authenticity tests for products and product properties

Authenticity testing is the analytical authenticity verification of food and feed with regard to its composition, purity, origin and production. A distinction is made between targeted and non-target (profiling / fingerprinting) methods.

Using targeted methods, the food or feed sample is examined for a very specific adulteration which will either be confirmed or refuted.

In case of non-targeted methods, the entire profile or specific characteristics of a food or feed sample are determined as a so-called physical-chemical or molecular fingerprint which will be compared with other reference data from a previously created database. If the new profile image matches the reference profile stored in the database, the sample is authentic.

Selected methods for authenticity testing

• Physical-chemical methods
  Composition and purity testing; identification and quantification of defined compounds
• Molecular biology        
  Identification of species, varieties, etc.
• Stable isotope analysis
  Origin analysis
• Fingerprinting / profiling
  Comparison of the sample profile/spectrum with the reference material

Analytical authentication can be difficult, especially for processed products. Some questions cannot be answered at all or only in combination with other measures.

We support you with vulnerability and risk analyses to work out the proper and economically reasonable analysis methods for you. We are also happy to advise you on the implementation of the IFS Food Standards. Contact your personal account manager or our food authenticity experts. We will be happy to advise you.

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