Which strategy to develop for the authentication of organic food products?

Alain Maquet, Elke Anklam

Abstract –With the aim to implement the European action plan for organic food and farming, IRMM has started a feasible study on the authentication of organic food products. A farm comparison approach has been selected and a weighty number of analytical methods are currently tested for their fit-of-purpose.

Some preliminary results will be presented and their consequences for future actions discussed.[1]

Introduction

Recent food scares have increased consumer awareness in all aspects of food safety and quality. As a result, consumers have increasingly preferences with respect to agricultural practices and geographical origin. Policy makers also have recognised the potential for organic farming as a means of food production that meets the demands of nature and the market place. A new legislation on organic farming is currently in development and will replace the current Council Regulation (EEC) N° 2092/91(European Commission, 2005).

Today many claims on food labels that relate to the perceived added value are rarely supported by analytical data evidence, leaving regulators to rely solely on paper auditing procedures to monitor compliance. Consumers buying organic food should be able to do so with confidence. However, so far no method for authentication of organic food or for food distinction from conventionally produced food has been proven to be suitable and validated(Siderer et al., 2005).

Together with laboratories from public institutes, universities and the food industry, farmer associations and consumer organisations, the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) of the Joint Research Centre, as Directorate-General of the European Commissions designs field experiments and develops and validates suitable analytical methods aiming to distinguish organically grown crops from the conventionally grown.

The IRMM study aims to support the European Action Plan for organic food and farming by developing sampling and analytical methods for inspection bodies(European Commission, 2004). This represents a significant step forward in integrating sustainable agriculture. Organic farming is a tool in the strategy of environmental integration and sustainable development, which are key principles of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)(Leguen de Lacroix, 2004).

Experimental

Field experiments

The IRMM runs field experiments to obtain suitable samples for studies on distinguishing organic farming from conventional practices. The IRMM has selected a farm comparison approach that allows the control of parameters such as farm location, soil type, cultivar or physiological stage in crops that will be analysed. Based on their importance in the market carrot, horse bean, potato and winter wheat were selected as plant models.

A controlled experimental field has been designed with a Belgian organic farmer association, a technical centre and certified farmers. The farmers have to follow a technical guideline and fill in a field book. In 2004 and 2005, one environment per crop was selected in the Walloon region of Belgium where one variety per crop was sown on the adjacent organic and conventional fields. In 2006, the number of environments per crophave beenincreasedand will be repeat in 2007. For each field, soil samples are extracted and their physical, chemical and biological parameters are analysed together with the crops under investigation.

Method development and validation.

Recent reviews of studies on conventionally and organically grown crops have concluded that among the many studies performed; only a few well-controlled ones were capable of making a valid comparison between the two agricultural production schemes(Heaton, 2001; Worthington, 2001; Bourn, Prescott, 2002; AFSSA, 2003). Therefore the IRMM decided not to select a specific method but to collect as much data as possible on the same samples. The IRMM applies a variety of methods to analyse e.g. dry residue, total nitrogen, proteins, gene expression, trace elements, radionuclides, stable isotopes, phenolic acids (plant metabolites), antioxidant and anti-mutagenic activities. One of the investigations at the IRMM focuses on the validity of a holistic approach, the biocrystallisation method.

Results

Based on two years of experiments advantages and disadvantages of the farm comparison approach will be discussed. An overview of the results already obtained will be presented and discussed as well as a summary of the promising markers. For some measurands (e.g. dry matter or nitrogen) several analytical methods are applied which help to evaluate the comparison of these methods as well as the accuracy of the estimated values.

Acknowledgements

Networking and collaboration are the key to success in a large project like the one the IRMM is undertaking in organic food research. The IRMM works together with several institutes within the JRC (ITU and IHCP), the Union Nationale des Agrobiologistes Belges (BE), the Centre d’Essais Bio (BE), the Comunitá Montana della Garfagnana (IT), the Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (BE), the University of Kassel (DE), the Louis Bolk Institute (NL), and the Biodynamic Research Association (DK). The JRC is also a partner in the European project TRACE – Tracing Food Commodities in Europe.

The authors take this opportunity to thank all the participants for their valuable contributions.

References

AFSSA (2003). Evaluation nutritionnelle et sanitaire des aliments issus de l'agriculture biologique. Maisons-Alfort, France: Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments - AFSSA.

Bourn D., Prescott J. (2002). A comparison of the nutritional value, sensory qualities, and food safety of organically and conventionally produced foods. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition42, p. 1-34.

European Commission (2004). European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming. Commission staff working document. Bruxelles, Belgium: European Commission.

European Commission (2005). Proposal for a Council Regulation on organic production and labelling products (presented by the Commission). Bruxelles, Belgium: European Commission.

Heaton S. (2001). Organic farming, food quality and human health - A review of the evidence. Bristol, United Kingdom: Soil Association.

Leguen de Lacroix E. (2004). The Common Agricultural Policy explained. Bruxelles, Belgium: European Commission.

Siderer Y., Maquet A., Anklam E. (2005). Need for research to support consumer confidence in the growing organic food market. Trends in Food Science & Technology16, p. 332-343.

Worthington V. (2001). Nutritional quality of organic versus conventional fruits, vegetables, and grains. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medecine7, p. 161-173.

Alain Maquetr is with the EC JRC IRMM, Food Safety and Quality Unit, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium ().

Elke Anklam is with the EC JRC IRMM, Food Safety and Quality Unit, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium ().