NIAB checking food origins - Brief Article

Eurofood, Feb 1, 2001

Methods for checking the origin of foods are being developed by the Cambridge-based NIAB Ltd., under projects being funded both by the EU and by the UK's Food Standards Agency. Work on potatoes has shown that varieties can be identified even in processed foods such as shepherd's pie crusts, and work for the FSA on virgin olive oil has been aimed at checking whether labels are correct. The same techniques are also being used for wine, tea and coffee. One of the main aims is to combat fraud, particularly with regard to premium varieties. More Darjeeling tea and Arabica coffee is sold than is grown, for example.

The NIAB's methodology varies according to the crop but is based on DNA fingerprinting. For potatoes, 'microsatellites,' which are repetitive, non-coding elements in the plant genome, are identified. Five primer pairs have been found to be sufficient to discriminate between 50 varieties sold in the UK. Olive varieties are identified and the yeasts associated with the olive fruit are also analysed according to the presence of retrotransposons, which can be regarded as 'internal viruses' which are passed from generation to generation by the host.

One of eight partners

The NIAB is also one of the eight partners collaborating in an EU project to examine the traceability of DNA fragments through the food chain, with particular reference to novel foods including genetically modified (GM) foods. Real time PCR and microarray technology will be used. The company announced this month that it is to invest [pound]6m ([euro]9.3m) over the next five years in its research-led services relating to variety identification, disease diagnostics, food traceability and the environmental impact of agriculture. "Our customer base is expanding rapidly and the company has developed to reflect this," NIAB chief executive officer Professor Brian Legg explained. The company has charitable status and every penny of margin from its [pound]10.5m turnover can be invested back in the business. NIAB has no core funding, Legg pointed out, and all its income had to be "earned in a competitive market."