Current methods for seafood authenticity testing in Europe : is there a need for harmonisation?

Griffiths, AM; Sotelo, CG; Mendes, R; Pérez-Martín, RI; Schröder, U; Shorten, M; Silva, HA; Verrez-Bagnis, V; Mariani, S

Abstract

Mislabelling of food products has recently received a great deal of public scrutiny, but it remains unclear
exactly what methods are being utilised in laboratories testing the authenticity of foods. In order to gain
insight into the specific area of the analysis of seafood, a questionnaire focussing on the taxonomic
groups typically analysed and the techniques utilised was sent to over one hundred accredited laboratories
across the UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, France and Germany. Forty-five responded positively,
demonstrating significant differences in both the species analysed and methods utilised among the
countries included in the survey. Indeed, a diversity of methods was employed across laboratories and
efforts to harmonise and/or standardise testing were evident only at national scale. This contrasts with
the EU wide scale of regulation on seafood labelling, and may lead to inconsistencies in the results
produced in countries.

Citation

Griffiths, A., Sotelo, C., Mendes, R., Pérez-Martín, R., Schröder, U., Shorten, M., …Mariani, S. (2014). Current methods for seafood authenticity testing in Europe : is there a need for harmonisation?. Food Control, 45, 95-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.04.020

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 18, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Apr 28, 2014
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Mar 22, 2016
• Journal: Food Control
• Print ISSN: 0956-7135
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Volume: 45
• Pages: 95-100
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.04.020
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.04.020
• Related Public URLs: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/food-control/
• Additional Information: Funders : EU Atlantic Area Programme; Projects : ‘LabelFish’, project 2011-1/163