Authenticity Testing

The threat of food fraud is a growing concern because increasingly complex global food supply chains create numerous opportunities for fraudsters to exploit. Adulteration of a product can occur for a variety of reasons, often linked to financial gain. 

Authenticity testing helps ensure and confirm that the contents of a product match what is declared on the packaging. Some examples of authenticity tests can be related to products like juice, oils, meat, coffee, or honey. 

Our Analytical Services

Neotron, part of the Cotecna Group, is composed of a set of sub-departments specialized in chemical, biochemical, microbiological, and sensory analysis, equipped with the latest technologies in the sector and subjected to continuous internal and external quality controls. 

Authenticity is a multi-technique field that involves different analytical approaches like chromatographic methods, DNA-based tests, and isotope analysis. 

Neotron performs the following authenticity tests for our clients: 

• Target identification of undeclared species based on DNA analysis (PCR) 
• Identification of plant and animal species (meat and fish) in simple or complex samples (DNA sequencing Sanger or NGS) 
• Verification of “robusta coffee” presence in coffee blends 
• Fruit juices identification 
• Edible oils characterization 
• Analysis of botanicals products 

The identification of species by means of DNA sequencing is one of the fundamental techniques for the authenticity determination of a product. Sanger sequencing, the first protocol developed for this purpose, is a robust and cost effectiveness method that allows the identification of a species in a single ingredient sample. On the other hand, in complex matrices the next generation sequencing (NGS) allows simultaneous identification of all present species. 

In both cases, through the activity of our bioinformatics, the DNA sequences obtained are compared with public and private database for the identification of present species 

Request an Analysis

To learn more about our services, or to request an analysis for your business, please don't hesitate to contact us.