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2.3.2 Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

2.3.2 Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

Technology submission 8

This submission focuses on the analysis of food components through the use of isotopes to identify the geographical origin of products. Stable isotope signatures of elements related to life (traditionally C, N, S, Fe; but most recently also Ca, Cu, Zn, Mo and Cl) are important biomarkers since they enable the acquisition of key information on the biological origin of organic remains, the metabolic pathways of formation and degradation of organic matter and related biominerals, as well as environmental conditions at the time of deposition.

Food is typically formed by bio-organic materials whose elemental constituents (mainly carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur) have different stable isotopes. Though different isotopes of the same element have the same number of electrons (and then form the same compounds), fractionation effects are possible during biochemical/biological/geochemical processes. Different isotopes of the same elements can show different relative partitioning between two coexisting phases in a natural system.

The accurate measurement of the abundance of a certain isotope can then provide important information about the underlying biological/biochemical/geochemical processes. For instance, carbon isotopic ratios in animal tissues and derived products are strongly influenced by animals’ diet. Nitrogen isotopic values can be used to obtain information about soils, the kind of vegetation and the climate of the area where animals lived, and derived food products were obtained. Oxygen and hydrogen isotopes determined in animal tissues and products supply information about water sources and geographical origin. Different isotopes can give different information about the product (e.g., oxygen to identify the dilution of beverages and origin, carbon to identify adulteration, nitrogen to identify the origin and the use of fertilizer, sulphur to identify the origin, hydrogen to identify dilution and origin, and C-radiocarbon to identify dating).

The solution is based on the development and use of a multi-isotope approach, based on the simultaneous determination of the isotopic signature for different isotopes (H, C, N and S) to develop a powerful tool to assess the quality and the provenance of food products and to identify isotopic fingerprints for different types of food products and their geographical origin. For this purpose, techniques based on stable isotope determination are complemented with those based on the measurement of the content of 14C (radiocarbon) by using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The large difference in terms of isotopic signature between fossil-derived and bio-derived carbon-based products can be effectively used to identify the presence of illicit fossil sources of carbon in food products. The multi-isotope approach can be used to:

1) Assess the quality of the products.

2) Assess or certify the geographical origin of the products.

3) Identify contaminations (synthetic substances/compounds).

4) Identify dangerous agents.

In this context, the isotopic fingerprint can be used to identify and trace the origin of fraudulent products and then provide a solid basis for investigators to trace back the actors of the fraud, serving as a tool for control and investigation authorities.

Submission received from the Centre for Applied Physics, Dating and Diagnostics Department of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Salento (CEDAD)

This submission can be used to show the application of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry for forensic analyses of food products. The use of this technology can provide results useful for forensic presentation in court and can support discovering breaches of the supply chain and fraudulent practices. The sample required in order to perform the analysis is small, facilitating the process, and once the sample is prepared, results are obtained quite quickly. The use of AMS techniques is well-established and the infrastructure to use them is available in most countries.

As seen in the case of submission 8, this technology also focuses on the composition of food itself and can mitigate some of the steps of the risk scenarios, in particular: repackaging operations and substitution of original products with counterfeit ones; the mislabelling of package to promote false claims related to the origin, process or composition of the product, as well as the lack of control over the product once it is packed, including the substitution of products with lower-quality or cheaper species.

Furthermore, it can be used as a tool to examine evidence and to trace the geographical origin of the product in order to determine if there was illicit infiltration in the supply chain or any other illegal activities were performed. It can also be used to identify if the product has been diluted or if there are adulterants in its composition.

Technology solutions falling within this technological approach target some of the steps of the criminal plan identified in the three risk scenarios related to food fraud. In particular, for what concerns risk scenario 1, the forensic analysis element is capable of unequivocally identifying the geographical origin of the products and its components. However, as clarified before, in the case of nuclear and other analytical techniques, these will come into play once an incident occurs or once a suspicion arises and cannot be used to prevent the criminal activity from happening. Consequently, these technologies may play a role in uncovering the following steps of the criminal plan:

 Control of the supply chain by using original packaging of the businesses controlled by the criminal group to market substandard and fraudulent products.

 Distribution of the falsified goods via the criminal group comprehensive and well- structured network, which includes wholesalers and supermarkets controlled by their frontmen.

 Use of low-quality milk or dairy products.

Source: CEDAD

By using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry to analyse products marketed by the criminal groups, it can be immediately detected that they are of low quality and that they do not originate from the correct geographical location. The use of adulterants, including possible toxic/poisonous substances, will also be revealed. Furthermore, by progressively analysing samples in the supply chain, it will also be able to trace back the source of the incident and present this evidence in court.

In the case of risk scenario 2, the technology may reduce risks linked to the following steps of the criminal plan:

 Control of the anti-counterfeiting solutions to market fraudulent products using original packaging bearing authentication technology.

 Procurement of low-quality materials from areas with high levels of pollution, marketing vegetables grown using illicit pesticides as well as low-quality and diluted tomato concentrate.

 Develop a fully-fledged supply chain for vegetables and dairy products.

 Building a parallel market for catering food supplies targeting small shops.

If suspicions arose of criminal operations, the technology can be used to confirm what the criminal group was marketing using the original packaging or what elements do not correspond to the original composition of the product, and this element can be brought in court as evidence. The considerations already made in the case of risk scenario 1 are also valid for mitigating these steps, since the technology is capable of recognizing the geographical origin of food products as well as their composition, including the presence of toxic ingredients and if they have been diluted.

For what concerns risk scenario 3, the technology can limit the following step:

 Selling fraudulent food as genuine via the e-supermarkets controlled by the criminal group. The same considerations presented for the previous risk scenarios also apply in this scenario in relation to analysis that can be performed in the case of incidents or following investigations to determine the nature of products marketed by the criminal group.

Summary table for submission 8: possible application to limit risks highlighted by the scenarios

Scenario

Scenario 1: Infiltration of the dairy supply chain Step 1 – Control of the dis. tribution market by owning or controlling legitimate operators.

Applicability of the solution

Step 2 – Control of the supply chain using the technology owned by the controlled legitimate operators. The use of spectrometry would enable the identification of fraudulent, or low-quality food, and it can be used to determine the correct geographical location.

Step 3 – Copying local producers’ packaging design and subsequent infiltration of these products into the legitimate supply chain. As mentioned in the previous submissions, the adoption of this technology would allow for the identification of counterfeit products and determine if they do not originate from the correct geographical location. However, this technology cannot prevent infiltration, rather it can identify counterfeit products and their characteristics after it happens. The continuous use of this technology over time will create a dissuasive effect on criminals, but it cannot prevent criminal activities.

Step 4 – Procurement of low-level milk or dairy products, their packaging with falsified labels imitating the design of legitimate and well-known local producers, and their insertion into the supply chain. Adulterations and the presence of possible toxic/poisonous substances can be revealed by the technology.

Step 5 – Distribution of the falsified goods via the criminal group comprehensive and well- structured network, which includes wholesalers and supermarkets controlled by their frontmen. The technology solution can be used to analyse the marketed products and determine if they are fraudulent, of low quality and whether they do not originate from the correct geographical location.

Scenario 2: Parallel market for catering supplies Step 1 – Control over legitimate businesses.

Step 2 – Control of the anti-counterfeiting solutions used by the infiltrated businesses.

Step 3 – Develop a fully-fledged supply chain for vegetables and dairy products. In case of proven or suspected criminal operations, the technology can be used to confirm what the criminal group was marketing using the original packaging, and the anti-counterfeiting features and this element can be brought in court as evidence.

Spectrometry can detect fraudulent, low-quality products and indicate if they do not originate from the correct geographical location. As previously clarified, the technology cannot prevent infiltration, but serves as a tool to identify counterfeit products after the security breach occurs. Criminal activity cannot be prevented unless their continuous use over time creates a dissuasive effect on criminals.

Step 4 – Use of low quality and diluted materials.

Step 5 – Building a parallel market for catering food supplies targeting small shops.

Step 6 – Distortion of competition. The technology is capable of recognizing the geographical origin of food products as well as their composition, including the presence of toxic ingredients and if they have been diluted.

The same considerations explained in step 3 apply to this stage.

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