Analytical expertise: developing and validating methods
Methods for testing food authenticity
In order to test whether foodstuffs are authentic, food control authorities must be provided with very diverse analytical methods. NRZ-Authent develops, improves and validates such methods in close consultation with the food control authorities both independently as well as with the support of project partners. The needs to be addressed are ascertained, among others, at NRZ-Authent events.
Within MRI, NRZ-Authent collaborates with institutes specialising in the various food groups (meat, fish, milk, cereals, oils, fruit, vegetables). NRZ-Authent can thereby also use analytical procedures for method development for which it does not have equipment of its own.
Proficiency testing
NRZ-Authent has delegated experts to committees within the German Institute for Standardisation as well as the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (§ 64 LFGB working groups) to support food control authorities in the validation of methods. Here, NRZ-Authent also contributes to planning and evaluating the § 64 LFGB working groups’ inter-laboratory tests.
NRZ-Authent research projects in the field of method development and validation
- Fish: development of user-friendly DNA-based rapid tests to verify fish species
- Fish: development of user-friendly DNA-based rapid tests to differentiate snapper species
- Meats: verification of the animal species for exotic meat products
- Honey: studies to determine the geographical origin of honey from Eastern Europe
- Poultry meat: proof of different geographical origin and husbandry conditions
- Soya: studies on the detection of the geographical origin of soya using stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry
- Eggs: analysis of stable isotopes to differentiate barn, free-range and organic eggs in the German food retail trade
- Fish: differentiation of defrosted and fresh fish
- Spices: differentiation of paprika in chilli
- Honey: detection of sugar syrup in honey using mass spectrometry
- Honey: detection of sugar syrup in honey using infrared spectroscopy
- Milk: detection of lysozyme in dairy products
- Milk: differentiation of A2 and A1 milk
- Nut products: detection of adulterations with other plant-based flours
- Olive oils: further development of FT-NIR technology for use in food authenticity control
- Vegetarian/vegan products: detection of the presence of animal components