New DNA food scanner will sniff out food fraud
FOOD watchdogs have unveiled a new DNA food scanning tool to crack down on food fraud and misleading labelling.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) revealed its new DNA scanning process, which can now identify all the ingredients in a product so they can compare that information to the food label.
Already, the analytical tool, has been used to find mustard in a product at significant levels, that was undeclared.
Mustard is one of the 14 food allergenic ingredients that must be declared in all foods under EU and Irish food law. Another product, oregano, was found to contain DNA from two undeclared plant species, one at significant levels.
Up to this, DNA testing of food required analysts to know what they wanted to look for and then test for it – such target information is no longer a pre-requisite.
Speaking on the new process, Food and Technology Chief Specialist with the FSAI Dr Pat O’Mahony said: ‘Of course targeted DNA analysis was also the method used by the FSAI in discovering horsemeat in beef products, which ultimately brought a global awareness of food fraud.’
He added that there are plans for the FSAI to apply the new technology to the screening of meat, poultry and fish products.
According to the FSAI, this process has already been successfully used to screen 45 plant-based foods and food supplements from Irish shops and supermarkets.