Food authenticity testing recognition by DEFRA

Our expertise in analysis and testing has been recognised by our inclusion in the general proficiency section of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) UK Centres of Excellence in food authenticity testing.

We are active in many areas of authenticity testing, such as meat, fish and seafood speciation, olive oil analysis, and spice adulteration. Methods include real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, immunoassays, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), microscopy, and a wide variety of liquid and gas chromatographic techniques.

Steve Garrett, food authenticity specialist, commented: “Our analytical testing services are supported by a range of scientific research projects, funded by members. Included in these is a project looking at development of ‘next generation’ analytical technologies to protect the food industry from fraud. Outputs from this project include evaluation of commercial isothermal DNA amplification assays for meat species and fish (red snapper), and a commercial immunoassay dipstick test kit to detect the presence of cow’s milk in products such as ewe and goat’s milk cheese.

We have also developed a fast and sensitive real-time PCR assay for horse DNA in meat products, and looked at volatile profiling of olive oil for rapid authentication.”