THE APPLICATION OF ICP-MS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF FOODSTUFFS.

摘要

Over the past decade, failures in food safety systems, coupled with decreased consumer confidence and issues of labeling related to the integrity of added value food products, have heightened the importance for enhanced food safety and the requirement for whole chain traceability and determination of the geographical and production origin of food products. Products labeled as being from a specific region and often produced to certain specifications are given such a denomination as an indication of a perceived special quality. This often translates itself into a higher premium which the consumer may be prepared to pay for the product. The higher premium attracts malicious individuals which may attempt to sell a cheaper, and often inferior quality, product labeled as the genuine authentic regional product. If the counterfeit product is not from the specific region or of lesser quality then claimed, then this pertains to fraud. However, if the forged product actually contains a concoction of hazardous ingredients, then this amounts to crime. The FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) is presently assessing the introduction of CoOL (Country of Origin Labelling) regulations for all type of packaged whole foods in addition to the existing mandatory CoOL for specific commodities like wine in NZ. Interestingly in the whole assessment no mention is made of the policing of non-compliance or willful deception of mandatory CoOL by analytical means or paper traceability. In a unilateral initiative Western Australia has made CoOL compulsory for all fresh food.